Goodnow trustees withhold support for $276,000 facilities request pending bid documents

SUDBURY — November 5, 2024 — Goodnow Library trustees decline to back a $276,000 facilities ask without bid documents. The board, meeting Nov. 5 with Trustee Eriko Frank absent, told Library Director Esme Green it would not support an FY26 capital request anchored by an asphalt-roof replacement until town facilities staff provides a firmer scope and supporting bids. Trustees flagged that the contingency in the request was 2 to 3 percent against a typical 13 to 15 percent, calling it "an order of magnitude off," and cited problems with the recently replaced DPW roof and pool-renovation cost revisions as cautionary examples. The board separately voted unanimously to close the library Friday, Nov. 22 for staff development, and directed staff to draft a revised meeting room policy — likely removing the roughly $10-per-hour fee on the small conference room — for review at the December meeting.