14 July, 2011
The Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners (MBLC) voted this morning to award a total of approximately $28 million in General Construction Provisional Grants to eight area communities, but Hopkinton was not one of the eight. The Hopkinton Library Building Project was wait listed, with an award amount of $4,533,580. THE MBLC placed all applicants into three categories: (1) those approved to be funded now; (2) those approved to be funded later, as funds become available through the State's five year capital plan; and (3) those that were asked to re-submit their applications.
According to the MBLC press release, twenty-eight communities completed the grant round process and eight were identified to receive grants. Towns receiving grants included Athol, Everett, Grafton, Granby, Shutesbury, South Hadley, West Springfield and West Tisbury. Hopkinton is ranked as 14 out of 15 on the waiting list.
Town Manager Norman Khumalo says the good news is that the Hopkinton Library Building Project was included in the second group which will allow more time for the private fundraising effort to mature and for the Town's capital budget process to accommodate the library project in an orderly fashion.
"On behalf of the Town, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to the former and current Hopkinton Board of Library Trustees, Permanent Building Committee, Hopkinton Public Library Director Rownak Hussain, Town Engineer/Facilities Coordinator David Daltorio, Project Manager Brian Main and Stewart Roberts Architects for their diligence and assistance with the preparation of this grant application," said Khumalo.
To see the press release directly from the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners, Click Here.
