ORONO – After hearing from the public, which was divided on the issue, the Town Council is expected next week to consider potential bond proposals for the new library.

“There were some in favor and against,” Town Manager Cathy Conlow said Wednesday.

There are essentially three options:

. To do nothing.

“That would be tragic,” Orono Public Library Foundation Vice President Dana Devoe said Wednesday. “That would be an absolute rejection by the people of the town of everything that we’ve done.”

. To bond $1 million, which Conlow said would provide $600,000 for all necessary road construction near 37 Pine St., where the library will be located. A new sidewalk would be part of that construction.

. To bond $500,000, which would cover partial reconstruction of Pine Street.

Since 1962, the library has been housed at Orono High School, which was supposed to be a temporary location.

The Library Foundation formed in 2003 in an attempt to create a proper library for the town. Since then, they have worked on fundraising, found a location to house the facility, and begun clearing the site.

“We didn’t expect we were going to have to turn to the town, but we have to turn to the town,” Devoe said. “The officers of the foundation are really very anxious in hoping that when the contract is signed, that we know we have the money in hand to do the project without any last minute scurrying around and tapping donors.”

Devoe said he expects the contractor to provide them with a final cost estimate for the project by the end of the week.

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