Published: June 06, 2007 09:19 am      

Burdine briefs council on library branch

Monday night was all about how to build a library — Burnside-style.

Judy Burdine, director of the Pulaski County Public Library, showed up with architects Farzin Sadr and Jerry Wayne Dixon at the June Burnside City Council meeting to give officials a sneak peek at the possible look of the new Burnside branch library.

With an expected price tag of about a half million dollars, the target completion date for the new library is the end of June 2008. Ground should be broken on the project at the beginning of October.

Councilors were shown different two different types of brick — red and gray — as well as roofing materials, “Hardy Board”-style siding, and artist’s interpretations of what the outside profile and bird’s-eye view of the library would look like. The councilors were also asked to consider which look they would prefer — depending on whether gray or red brick is chosen will affect the other aesthetic choices in materials.

Dixon and Sadr, who have teamed up to work on the project, noted that they were looking for examples in the community that councilors might recognize — such as similar siding on the Doolin House in downtown Somerset — and that they wanted to incorporate elements of “green” buildings into the facility, designed to be economically and environmentally responsible. That includes buying the bricks from regional sources, which saves money on fuel and puts money into the area economy, using fluorescent lights that automatically shut off at night via a sensor, and a porous pavement outside so rain doesn’t turn into runoff but rather goes into the ground. The bricks the architects brought in were all from a plant in Stanford.

“It’s all just suggestion at this point,” said local architect Dixon, who also noted that they wanted the design to be “more timeless.”

As Burdine and the councilors attempted to make a determination as to when they should reach a conclusion as to their aesthetic preferences, it was noted that a more fleshed-out, color representation would be coming soon for review, so the council said they would make a selection at next month’s council meeting.

In other city council business:

• Judy Hatterman of the River House Restaurant and the Burnside Chamber of Commerce was appointed to the city’s tourism commission.

• It was decided that a flat rate of $250 per year would be paid to members of the city’s planning and zoning committee in twice-a-year installments. Excluding $70 for training purposes, the remainder would average out to a payment of $30 per meeting.

• City attorney Dan Thompson said that Burnside Police Officer Phillip Woodall had checked into Lexington’s Alcoholic Beverage Control policies and the two are looking into whether Burnside should model its system for hearing and penalties for beverage sales abuses on those of the larger Kentucky city.

• Thompson also noted that Burnside is looking into ways to tie directly into Somerset’s water supply for some customers and essentially avoid having to use the South Eastern Water Association for some areas. Recently, two Burnside subdivisions near Bronston served by South Eastern Water had service interruptions. Most Burnside residents receive water from the city’s own water company.