The Library Building Committee faced an unexpected infrastructure hurdle this week after architects discovered a 22-year-old septic system buried beneath the proposed footprint of the new library at the MacArthur school site. Architect Matt Odenello of Odenello Architects described the find as a significant project challenge during the committee’s October 16 meeting. What's a project without another curveball? Odenello asked while presenting an overlay of the building footprint atop the aging 2003 septic plan. In the copious documents that we found that Judy uncovered for us... one of them was a septic plan.

The discovery complicates the project timeline because the existing system is nearing the end of its functional life and is currently obstructed by heavy vegetation. While the town’s municipal sewer project is slated to reach the site along Route 28 eventually, John Greco, who also serves on the Water Resource Advisory Committee, updated the group on recent delays. I'm on the town's water resource advisory committee... the contractor of the facility did ask for a six-month extension. So, it's been extended into 2027... that's going to be the million-dollar question: when it will be finally done, Greco noted. To keep the library project on track, Odenello proposed a fallback position involving the installation of a temporary septic field south of the building, estimated to cost approximately $100,000.

Beyond the underground infrastructure, the committee reviewed refined interior floor plans that move the project from abstract diagrams to concrete architectural layouts. The designs now detail specific zones, including a community wing with outside-wall circulation and a combined children’s and teen area. Architect MA explained that the children’s wing now includes a sensory room and a young adult workroom positioned strategically between the two desks. We rearranged the location of the YA workroom which is now sitting between the children's desk and the teens desk with doors between the two per Mindy's request, MA stated. However, architect Libby cautioned that the current design needs further refinement to meet size targets, noting that the building you're seeing is slightly bigger than it should be. We need to tighten up the lobby and shrink the wings a little bit.

The committee spent considerable time debating the site’s exterior, specifically focusing on four landscape options presented by Jonathan Kerr. The plans range from a 100-space parking lot to a more radical proposal, Option D, which would bypass the existing school building with a new access road to create a more prominent civic arrival. We wanted to achieve... having the sense of arrival and of a singular understanding of knowing where you're going, Kerr explained. Planning Committee representative Susan G raised fiscal concerns regarding the parking count, suggesting that 100 spaces might be viewed as excessive by the Board of Selectmen. 100 parking spaces is a lot of space. I think if you have to do a very good job in justifying going almost 25% higher than that, she said, adding that such a large expenditure could raise red flags.

Accessibility concerns also dominated the site discussion, particularly regarding the distance from parking to the front entrance. Staff member Mindy noted that patrons at previous outreach sessions emphasized the need for close proximity to the doors. Committee Chair Judy Connor also asked for clarification on circulation, noting, Can you show me where the two circulation areas were? I think I heard there was a circulation area for teens and a different one for children. Addressing the distance from the parking plaza, Odenello argued that the internal walk within the 24,000-square-foot facility would likely be longer than the 60-to-80-foot walk from a car. Committee member Nikki Jianto questioned the financial implications of the more ambitious road layouts, asking, How much costlier would it be... to choose D rather than C or B or A because we're changing the road?

The committee also took steps to finalize its internal operations and public messaging. Chair Judy Connor emphasized the need to re-establish a formal communication chain involving herself, Vice Chair Tom Pendleton, the Library Director, and the project’s architects to avoid information bottlenecks following recent staff changes. When we began this project, we had a library director and we had an assistant town administrator. And then we moved into our orphan phase and now we are back with personnel... we want to clean things up, Connor said. Pendleton agreed, noting that focusing things through Judy and I was kind of where we agreed to move forward.

Reflecting on recent outreach efforts, the committee expressed disappointment with engagement levels at the Seaside Festival, where Connor observed that attendees really had no interest in talking to a municipal setup. Susan G suggested that future efforts should focus on high-visibility Board of Selectmen meetings, while Mindy proposed meeting parents during school pick-up lines to reach younger families who cannot attend evening sessions. As part of this effort, Judy Connor reminded the committee to be mindful of their terminology, especially regarding the site's topography. We've been trying to pull away from that word ravine... We've been calling it more recently a depression... just a reminder, this is a library project and words are important, Connor remarked.