By MELISSA BEVERIDGE
The Bradley Beach Council rejected all bids for the construction of an addition and renovation of the Bradley Beach Public Library due to the cost.
The bids came in at $900,000 to $1.3 million. The budget for construction, however, is limited to $675,000.
Bradley Beach resident, Randy Bonnell, expressed his concerns, stating that the delay will bring about “significant winter costs” and that “significant changes will need to be made to get it under budget.”
“I’m here to help with this thing, for free,” Bonnell said. “We need to get it off dead center.”
Bonnell was addressing concerns that the architect had submitted two different plans, both of which can’t be used.
“We haven’t spent that much at all on the architectural fees and they’re doing the redesign for free,” said Library Director Janet Torsney.
She said that the library has been working with the architects about why the bids came back so high and one of the reasons was that the cost of steel has increased.
“We’re identifying some of those smaller changes we can make,” she said. “We’re working really hard on this. We wish the bids had come in (lower), but they didn’t.”
Torsney said they will be doing another redesign and putting it out for bid again, hoping that that bids come back within budget.
The library has been hosting various fund-raisers to help with the reconstruction of the building. The council approved the Friends of the Bradley Beach Public Library to hold a beach Yoga Fund-Raiser on Evergreen Beach on August 16, 23, 30 and September 6 from 8 to 9 a.m. Participants are asked to donate $10 to the library and in return they will also receive free beach admission for that day of the class.
“We hope we can get more people to come and encourage more people to participate. That’s the reason why it’s (the free beach admission) is there,” said Kristie Anderson of The Friends of the Public Library. “We’re promoting awareness to a different demographic.”
On Sat., July 18 the library will host a “Library Walkathon.” The 5k-walk will begin at 8:30 a.m. at the Fifth Avenue Gazebo and will continue through Avon and back.
“So far we’ve raised about $13,000,” said Torsney, who said you could also register the day of the event. “A lot of people have made teams, including the PBA.”
Torsney said the event has gone green with the help of the Environmental Commission who donated water bottles, which can be refilled with the water truck. The event is open to leashed dogs. Local business Paws & Anchor will have a table and a veterinarian will also be on hand. Other local businesses also donated to the goody bag.
The Library Walkathon will run at the same time that the Choose Your Cover Skincare Cancer Screening takes place. This event runs fom 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and and will provide free skin cancer screenings for those unaffiliated with doctors.
“Over the past seven years that Choose Your Cover has been operating in Monmouth County, they’ve screened over 7,800 people,” said Councilman Harold Cotler, who is a medical doctor. “Of those 7,800 they’ve found 78 specs of melanoma, 300-400 cases of basal cell and squamous cell skin cancer.”
Sat., July 18 is also the first summer concert hosted by Bradley Beach Tourism at Riley Park. The concert will begin at 7 p.m. and will feature a tribute to Elvis Presley.
