New Library: What do you think?

I'm curious what everyone thinks about the new library... bonds and general fund money will pay for the new library, to the tune of $4 million. Do you think this is a good idea?

Details:
http://www.sacbee.co...p-7808867c.html

Can the city really afford this? How much will be paid by the taxpayers? Is this even legal???

I'm pretty sure it's legal.

Whether or not we can afford it... I would sure hope so! City Council is making a risky decision if it's iffy, that's for sure.

Only time will tell.

The city is finally looking at the type of joint venture with the school district that would maximize public dollars, and better yet, provide a greater likelihood that the city will qualify for state grant funds (from Proposition 14). This will be on the city's agenda tomorrow, June 10. If you can't make it, watch it on channel 14. They'll probably answer a lot of the questions.

I voted not sure for the following reason.

1. First the people of Folsom voted it down. I voted for it.

2. Then they talked about placing a new Library where the fire station is.

3. Now they want to put it on a ball field, I think, on the south west side of city hall??

4. They were going to try for a grant and now they are not. I feel they should have gone for the grant even though the state is in trouble handing out money. If you don't ask you will not receive.

5. We do need a new library. If you have ever been in the present library and have ever been to a REAL library you can plainly see we need one.

I guess I will back it one way or another.

Cal

QUOTE

They were going to try for a grant and now they are not. I feel they should have gone for the grant even though the state is in trouble handing out money. If you don't ask you will not receive.

I must admit, I take issue with this as well. I've always been a firm believer that you won't get anything if you never ask for it. This could save us 3-4 million! If we have the money to pay for all of it now, then that would fulfill the state's requirement.

it's overdue. I voted no on an additional tax last year but if they can make it happen with the general fund, then that's great. This is no different (and much more important) than the Folsom Aquatic Center.

I've really been dissatisfied with the current library, so I welcome real action towards a new one. Every city I've ever lived in has had a better library, including my mom's small town of 10,000 in central Wisconsin.

I definitely prefer the fire station location to the ball field. What are they going to do with yet another empty fire station?

As the article in the Bee stated, they pretty much had no shot at the grant money.

Jen

Well, the empty fire station is not an option because it has a mold problem and there's a lawsuit pending about it. Can't destroy evidence.

I agree with Tess that joint use withe High School is a great idea. I was astounded when my daughter told me as a freshman that she couldn't use the high school library because it closed shorly after the schoo-day ended. It's a beautifil state- of-art library and only lacks a librarian for after- hours. Why can't the city pay for that librarian, kick in a few bucks for security, if necessary, and let it be used by junior high kids, high school kids and adults? Little kids would still need a separate library, but it could much smaller and cheaper to build.

Adults at the high school might also promote of sense of community among those who have kids and those who don't. Many retired folks use the library and I think they might enjoy "going back to school..."

Val Doss Joyce

Joyce, it is not the fire station with the mold that we are talking about. It was supposed to be the one near city hall.

The fire station with the mold is at Blue Ravine and Prairie City road.

It is my understanding that the proposed site for the new library is at the corner of Natoma and Stafford, where the gazebo now stands. There was an article in the paper about a month ago stating that if that site were to be used, it would mean re-routing the train. Now they are talking about doing away with one of the softball fields. That is quite a large area to re-construct. As I envision it, the gazebo will need to go also. How much of the open grass area will be used? How about the traffic/parking situation in that area when there are events held at the park such as Ren. Fair, Rodeo, soccer tournaments etc.? Are we to be able to utilize the library at those times? What about the concerts in the park? Where will they be held? As a resident of this city since childhood, which is more than 30 years, I am appalled at the thought of losing this wonderful open space. I am reminded of the song lyric, "they paved paradise and put up a parking lot". Don't get me wrong, I agree that this city is in desperate need of a new library, and I'm sure other options were addressed. What will happen now with the existing fire station? The bond didn't pass, are there no other alternatives for using the fire station site as a library?
I'm sorry for rambling on, but I can't imagine what that corner will look like. I can only hope that what I envision from reading the newspaper is wrong. Can someone please fill me in on what space will actually be used?

I think the main fire station (next to City Hall) is a good location for the new library. Whether or not it can be renovated for library use I'm not sure. Certainly we should not take the City Park and pave it over for a library. Folsom's City Park should stay as it is.

As for combining the city library with the school district - I have grave concerns. The school district has not done the best job managing its money in the past and in fact now has the city overseeing its expenditures. I can only imagine how the district would be leveraging its involvement in a joint-use library to get more money from the city! Some years back it was suggested that a joint-use library could be created at the community college, but that had similar issues along with issues about parking (the college charging for parking to use the 'public' library).

I also agree with a previous post regarding the fact that Folsom voters turned down funds for a library. I think our leaders should abide by the voters' edict.

The problem with the fire station is that they wont be remodeling it...they will be tearing it down in order to build the library!!!!! The City figures it would be a complete waste to just demolish it ( at the cost of something like $750,000) and figure they can come up with another/better use for it.

I think we need a library, but this seems WAY out of the blue. What planning was put in to this? I think it would be in the city's best interests to publish something in their website as to why they made such a decision on this. I'll support it if is backed by facts and research.

I’m happy to make a contribution to this forum to address a few of the library related questions and comments that have been posted.

The library is the single most glaringly deficient amenity in the City of Folsom.

Many hundreds of hours of staff and council time were devoted to developing the recently approved plan over the course of the past few months. This wasn’t done whimsically at any level. It had the thorough review and support of the Library Commission, Park and Rec Commission and finally the City Council. I guess if we move to quickly we can create the same dissatisfaction as if we move to slowly.

Very early in the process, I and other council members clearly stated that this plan has no chance of flying if the look and feel of our City Park is disturbed. The footprint of the planned 20000 square foot library and 90 additional parking spaces will fit on the existing ball field. The gazebo remains, the train remains, the trees and the big rocks will remain. Additional ball fields programmed for Kemp Park, behind Home Depot will absorb the lost field, hence, the involvement and blessing of our Parks and Recreation Department. The end game here is that the current and soon to be vacated main Fire Station next to City Hall will be surplus. This building is not filled with mold. The moldy one is at Prairie City and Blue Ravine. On the contrary it is a 20 year old concrete walled and steel roofed 11000 square foot structure. I can assure you this is not being preserved to “grow government”. This can serve senior center, maybe teen center or the general meeting and classroom needs of the community. This has yet to be determined but holds much promise.

Of course this is “legal” and yes the city can afford it. The library vote last year was a request of the residents of the city of Folsom for a special tax for a specific purpose – the library. I was not on the council at the time and although I wasn’t completely enamored with the plan ($50 per house per year) I was supportive. It achieved a very positive 60% yes vote. 67% was required. Now, I would venture to guess that if a 2/3rds support level were required of all voters for everything that was done in this town we would have very little that we now treasure. We could barely get this done for the schools. Park amenities were tried in the early 90’s and failed. We would never achieve this level of support on an individual basis for a zoo, an aquatic center, trails, parks and probably even paving roads. So out of the general fund (mainly our local share of property and sales tax) we, you and me, build a city that is greater than the sum of its parts. We don’t all use everything this city has to offer but it offers many things to everyone. So please don’t misconstrue that the will of the voters was ignored. There are no new taxes to pay for this library. We will live within the means of the existing general fund.

I don’t like borrowing money. Of the approximately $10M required to fund this plan, we are planning to scrape together $6M up front and bonding for the remaining $4M. This city has a very low level of debt service and will continue to remain that way. With interest rates as low as they are and the crying need for appropriate library funding, we on the council deemed this acceptable. The debt service will be about $325000 per year against an annual general fund of $47 million this year.

The state library grant opportunities were exhaustively examined and assessed. Our chances were miniscule at best and the cost to submit would have been roughly $150K. In this grant application process we decided the chances were between slim and none while the strings attached were cumbersome. We are a prosperous predominately Republican community in Republican Assembly member Dave Cox’s district. With a Democratic Governor, Assembly and Senate, I was not going to be naïve enough to think that the selection process would not be at least marginally political. We would not have had a decision until late next year and I personally had a hard time accepting delays of that magnitude for something we probably would not receive. The tail was wagging the dog.

The joint use component of this plan at the new 2nd High School in Empire Ranch, scheduled for opening in 2006, helps us meet the recommended 30000 square feet of library services in a cost effective manner. The design of the new high school includes a 6300 square foot library. The city will add $2M to the construction to upsize to 13000 square feet. There are other joint use libraries in the region and they work very well. The staff and board members of our school district have been extremely cooperative and supportive of this concept. There will be a separate entrance for the library users and some school faculty members.

This may not be the perfect solution but is certainly is a good and immediately attainable solution. I hope this helps clear up some of the confusion. I sincerely appreciate the concern everyone here shows for their community. I’m always at your service and you can contact me directly at anytime at andy@themorins.com.

Andy
Folsom City Council