Waldwick October 19, 2011 THE VILLADOM TIMES III • Page 3 The Waldwick Library’s renovation project is progressing on schedule, with work possibly starting as early as next month. The Waldwick Council last week awarded the contract for the work to Allied Construction of Vorhees, NJ. The company was the lowest of 17 bidders at a base price of $287,000. The high bid was $657,000. The architect’s estimate for the construction phase was $275,000$280,000, with $400,000 allocated for the total project. “We had hoped for lower prices,” said Borough Administrator Gary Kratz, adding that the four alternates that had been considered were rejected. These included extending the stone fascia to the side and rear of the existing building and using a different carpet tile than what is there now. The stone front will be extended to the side facing East Prospect as part of the base bid, Kratz said. A fourth alternate that would have cut down the number of lighting fixtures and thus reduced the base price, was also rejected. “If we can close before winter, we could be finished by spring,” said Councilman Don Sciolaro, the council’s liaison to the library board. “The nice thing about this project is that there will Council awards contract for library expansion be no disruption to the regular services and programs, unlike the last renovation (in 2003),” Sciolaro commentary. He said the use of the meeting room would be lost for a short time when the wall is broken between the existing building and the addition. He also said that children’s programming, which is now conducted in the meeting room because it is larger, would have to go back temporarily to the children’s room. The addition, which will feature similar stone and window details as the existing building, will be constructed on the east side of the building and will expand the library’s meeting room from 625 square feet to 1,175 square feet. The existing meeting space will be converted into a multi-purpose room that will provide storage space for local history materials, and serve as a conference room and an area for quiet study. The project is being funded through donations to the Friends of the Waldwick Library, and a $100,000 contribution from the borough’s capital improvement fund. Another $100,000 came from the estate of J. David Kamykoski, a former library director who retired in 2001 after 25 years of service to the Waldwick Library. The building fund also includes approximately $118,000 collected from the library’s passport program. That program took off in 2007, when travelers to the Caribbean were required to carry a passport. Even as the project is getting off the ground, fundraising efforts are continuing, with excess funds allocated to a contingency fund. A donor board, which includes space for tiles purchased by supporters, is the major fundraiser. Tiles are engraved to honor or memorialize someone, and then placed on the board. Donors may become bronze patrons for contributions of $250 and above, silver patrons for contributions of $1,000 and above, and gold patrons for donations of $5,000 and above. The donor board is located where it can be viewed by the estimated 10,000 people who visit the library each month. Friends of the Waldwick Library is a 501(c)3 charitable organization, and donations are tax deductible. Call Library Director Patty Boyd at (201) 652-5104 for information about making a contribution. Waldwick Jr. Warrior Hoops is now holding travel basketball tryouts. The program is open to girls and boys in grades four through eight. For more information Warrior Hoops tryout schedule announced contact Doug Palmadessa, (917)686-3160 for the boys teams; and Sheila Serafin, (201) 888-0460 for the girls teams.