Palmer council gives go-ahead for final design of library replacement

Palmer’s city council approved a $1.23 million contract with Wolf Architecture to complete the final design and bid documents for a new Palmer public library.

The design will be for a project estimated at $18 million and will replace the library building damaged by a roof collapse under heavy snow conditions.

Palmer voters have approved $10 million in general obligation bonds for the project but the intent is to raise other funds so the city incurs less debt, city manager John Moosey said.

State Rep. DeLena Johnson, R-Palmer, secured a $5 million state grant last year and an insurance settlement on the roof collapse on the old library can be put toward the new building.

Alaska U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski is also working on a congressionally-designated federal grant for project and a fundraising effort is also underway with potential donors.

In other actions the council is asking for new applications for the city manager position by June 9 after invalidating applications from two candidates due to a technicality.

Moosey is retiring after years of public service at the city and the Matanuska-Susitna Borough and the council has been engaged in recruiting and interviewing for a replacement.

It is anticipated that two people who applied previously will reapply, John Moosey said.

The two applicants were deputy Anchorage municipal manager Kolby Hickel and Kim Zimmerman, who is now city manager in Lewistown, Pennsylvania, and who was stationed at Joint Base Elemendorf-Richardson as an Army logistics officer.

At its May 13 meeting the council also authorized a utility water connection for a 58-lot subdivision located off East Bogard Road in Palmer and also authorized the city manager to purchase 50 used golf carts for the Moose Run Golf Course for an amount not to exceed $125,000.

The city Manager was also authorized to execute a $22,840 contract with HDL Engineering Consultants for final design, bidding assistance, and construction administration services for the Fire Training Center Drainage Improvements Reservoir insulation repairs project.