Accomack Board of Supervisors approve ESPL name change

The Accomack County Board of Supervisors voted to approve a name change for the Eastern Shore Public Library. Upon the opening of the new building in Parksley, it will be known as the Eastern Shore Regional Library and Heritage Center. The ESPL Foundation made the request at its March 9, 2021 meeting. The request follows the guidance of the County’s policy governing the naming of County property.

Also the Board approved the request to name Room 124 of the regional library/heritage center as the Bea Johnson Small Study Room. Likewise approval was granted to rename room 110 the Otho Wescott and Diana Ciuffreda Custis Entryway.

The Board also considered a request by RH Contracting for a three month additional time extension to complete the project. The contractor is asking for permission to extend the deadline for substantial completion of the project until June 13, and the date for final completion to July 13, 2021. Liquidated damages for the delay will total $138,000 over the three month period as contained in the contract. But the contractor requested that these charges be eliminated in exchange for completing a change order concerning the drainage around the building at no charge to the county.

Library Board Chairman Al McMath asked the Board not to waive the full fees but to allow the Library to charge back the expenses that are caused by the delays in construction. McMath said that while there is a contingency fund that could cover some of those expenses, there are other needs that could be addressed using those funds as opposed to using them to cover expenses caused by the delay.