12/11/2015
A great public voice:
"I have been attending library meetings since 2009. In those seven years, the library board has spent an average of $11,094.90 per year on general building repair and maintenance. Additional library repairs using the second penny tax were roof repair ($31,486.40, 2010), drain tile ($46,694.81, 2011), which apparently did not work properly so modifications were made in 2012 for an additional $24,624.47.
According to the city engineer, the library basement is dry. We’ve been meeting in the basement with architects and never once has there been an odor or dampness. Two rooms have hanging insulation with appears to have been wet; it and surrounding structure haven’t been replaced.
On Oct. 19, 2009, a letter was sent to the city council about a work session to discuss a library task force report on a 40,000 square foot building at $4,800,000. Here it is, 2015, and the building plans have decreased to 28,000 square feet, at the increased price of $8 million. Their figures, not mine, indicate an amount closer to $12 million.
The task force was offered a lot west of K.O. Lee. The land had never been built on, no demolishing would be needed. It had wide access roads and was along a bike trail. However, in the minds of the library board, foundation and some city councilors, the cramped lot close to downtown was better. The price of the two lots, downtown ($700,000) for land, ($47,000) church clean up, ($56,250) for the Fry house, ($7,380) demolition, ($7,930) for soil assessment, loss of property tax ($5,463) and broker’s fee of ($7,420) for a total of $831,433. The price of the Lee property for an additional 12,500 square feet was $292,500. That’s $538,943 less than downtown property.
Site Related Criteria as quoted from the Committees Master Plan: "Site costs include any site applicable costs including the acquisition of land, relocation costs, unusual site development costs, demolitions, remodeling and construction.”
Respect our tax dollars. Please vote "no" on the library bond."
