The Times-Observer is reporting that officials from the City, District 150, and the Peoria Public Library will be meeting today at 4:30 p.m. to discuss possibly building a new library on D150 property by Richwoods High School and Expo Gardens. There’s a catch:
Ardis said that closing the Lakeview Branch and building the new North Peoria library branch on, or near Expo Gardens, would trim $8 to $10 million off the proposed $35 million cost of the entire library plan.
Let’s see, how was that referendum question worded again? Here it is:
“Shall bonds in the amount of $35,000,000 be issued for Library purposes of the City of Peoria, In Peoria County, Illinois, of acquiring, constructing and installing a new library building and additions to existing facilities (including site acquisition, library materials and technology) and related fixtures, furnishings, improvements, facilities and costs, bearing interest at the rate of not to exceed 7%? Paid for by a property tax increase approximately 16 cents per $100 of the equalized assessed valuation.”
That referendum was based on the Library’s master plan, which included expanding Lakeview and building a new branch in far north Peoria. Having the city step in now and suggest closing Lakeview and building a new library across the street from the fourth district is kind of a bait and switch, isn’t it? Expo Gardens is not much farther north than Lakeview, compared to how far north the City has grown.
I can see why Gary Sandberg feels like he wasted his time over the past year.
Where in the referendum does it say expanding lakeview and building a new library in far north Peoria? It says building a new library building and expanding existing facilities. I doubt many people look at the Library’s master plan.
No, but I bet a lot of people looked at their website. They did a pretty good job of getting the word out regarding what exactly they were proposing. I doubt it would have passed by 72% if people thought they were buying a pig in a poke.
Political. Football.
CURIOUS IS RIGHT, THE REFERENDUM SAYS NOTHING ABOUT THE LIBRARY MASTER PLAN; AND EXPO IS FARTHER NORTH FROM LAKEVIEW THAN YOU THINK C.J.; LIKE HIM OR NOT, MERLE WIDMER HAS A GOOD BLOG ABOUT THE USE LAKEVIEW HAS.
Not really that far north – Lake to Northmoor is about a mile and a half. Does the city have any plans for the empty library sitting next to the hoped for empty museum at the Lakeview campus in this scenario?
Wacko, Expo Gardens is exactly as far north as I think — I checked a map before writing. And I don’t disagree that Merle has some excellent posts on this topic.
As far as the referendum, I think it has to be interpreted in light of the information that was publicized at the time. Consider this quote from an article that ran in the Journal Star on April 5, 2007:
The article also talks about the downtown and Lincoln branches, and other aspects of the plan. But I pulled out the quote about the north branch and Lakeview because they’re pertinent here. I could cite dozens of examples. I think it’s safe to say that the people who voted thought they were voting for what was publicized.
Do you have the map of Peoria with the breakdown of the neighborhoods? I seem to remember that Northmoor road was the cutoff line for North Peoria.
Peoria runs all the way out to Hickory Grove Rd. Millions of dollars to move Lakeview Library, millions of more dollars to move Lakeview Museum, what is the deal with Lakeview?
Aside from what CJ said about all the diligent work Gary Sandberg and the library board has done over the last 15 months, the library board ALSO held a years’s worth of publicized public input sessions for a year BEFORE developing the plan to present to the city council to get them to vote to put the referendum on the ballot. All told, the transparent work into this plan has gone on for 3 years now.
The council voted UNANIMOUSLY to put the $35 MILLION referendum on the ballot. They could have changed the plan any way they wanted. Ardis signed letters urging people to vote for the $35 million plan.
Bait and switch, you bet. Hypocritical politcs, also you bet. Flip-flopping, you bet. Trying to use the library as a scapegoat for financial failures of this council, you bet. (Remember the promise to abolish the garbage tax? Or fully staff fire station 11? Failure followed by scapegoating.)
Now they act like the library plan that was to be considered at the last meeting is the first they’ve heard of it. Council members were invited to every public hearing before and after the referendum. At least one didn’t even know about the public hearings at all and therefore didn’t read the packets each council member gets from the city clerk before each meeting–for over two years!
One of the council’s idiotic questions to the library board now is: What percent of the voters really understood the plan? How condescending to the same voters that elected them. Elitist snobbery.
Well, the letters each voter received, the web site, the newspaper ads, the TV ad, all told exactly how much it cost–$35 million and that it translated to $50 per $100 of assessed valuation on property taxes. They also specified what would happen to each branch.
My question is “What percent of the voters that voted for Ryan Spain did so believing him when at numerous neighborhood candidate forums he said he strongly supported the $35 million plan and the referendum and would absolutely vote for it if the people voted yes?”
He lied to get votes. Now he wants a smaller plan and many other changes. He did NOT indicate ANY reservations during the campaign as he tried to piggyback on library referendum momentum.
I could similarly ask, what percentage of the voters realy knew how each council candidate stood on the issues as they voted for these council members?
To answer one of Merle’s contentions,you need to know that staff is the largest cost to libraries. Unfortunately the old model of library buildings 30 and 40 years ago was based on intensive staffing. Libraries across the nation are reconfiguring their buildings to allow for greater self-service. That is why the very top shelf is not stacked at Lakeview. (Merle’s linear space point). Only staff on ladders could retrieve the books. (Legal problems also arise now with that from the possibility of law suits from falls). The problem with Lakeview is that it has very high traffic and the kids section, computer section and adult section are all on top of one another. With an expansion the noisy kids would have their own room. Computers wouldn’t be in the middle of book stacks, etc.
The people need to rise up against this retrograde council. Gary Sandberg has been an informed hero in this whole saga.
The mayor and council members against the library plan revealed their total hypocrisy that they all of a sudden have principled differences with the plan when they used Randy Ray to float their idea of killing two birds with one stone by attempitng to get the library to do their bidding by proposing using eminent domain for the Elliots site. All the 49 questions these disingenuous council members now have would have evaporated if the library board had taken the council’s bait on the Eliots property. Hypocrits.
Shedding Some Light, would you PLEASE run for city council? Oh hell, run for MAYOR.
You said everything I’ve ever thought since I left the city council meeting, though much more eloquently than I would have ever put it. I am so livid with our city council for pulling this bait & switch crap with us. It makes me sad to see that they care so little about improving the city that I’d move if I didn’t like my neighbors & my neighborhood so much.
shedding some light:
Just asking … did you really mean
“all told exactly how much it cost–$35 million and that it translated to $50 per $100 of assessed valuation on property taxes.”?
$50 per $100 of assessed valuation?????
Sounds like the EXPO plan is a “Rob Peter to Pay The Peoria School District 150” ploy.
Did I heard following a Master Plan????? When does COP and/or D150 and now the Library Board follow their respective master plans??? That is a rhetorical question, correct?
To shedding some light:
Many of you have forgotten this was an “advisory” referendum funding by the proponents spending $100,000 to the opposition’s $0.
The public was mislead on “facts” just like the council was misled into granting $500 to 600 thousand for the Southside Library to be built in 2001-2 and now slated to be demolished.
Ladders to reach the top shelf? Sorry, but your ignorance of facts betrays your motive. I suggest you visit a modern library like Peoria Heights Library and see the 12″ high “kik steps” they use to sit on for the bottom shelves and stand on for the top shelves.
Ladders my butt. What past decade did you ever visit a public library that still built stacks so high that they used “ladders”? Yes stacks, that’s what they are called. I should know I sold and installed them at Lakeview and the Downtown Library. So high they had to use ladders? Your watching to many old flicks. Good grief!
Knowing Randy Ray, he may have made some “tongue in cheek” comment about Elliott’s. Some on you are beginning to sound like Barack Obama’s ridicule of John McCain’s figure of speech, “we’ll stay in Iraq for 100 years if we have to”. You evidently don’t even know we have had troops in Europe and Asia under both Democrats and Republicans for over 60 years.
Try to get real.
Gary Sandberg may waste a lot of time. His architedctural firm hasn’t grown in 20 years. Had this been a priate venture, Gary’s record shows he would have made every effort to stop it. This is to be built with property tax payers dollars. If you don’t pay property taxes, stick it to those who do. Approximately 5-10 dollars a year would be added to Gary’s $16.50 he pays to support the library now. Some pay 100 times that amount and recive no greater useage than Gary with his $16.50.
This was an advisory referendum sold with a loaded deck. People who hadn’t set foot in a library in years like the commenter still think libraries used “ladders”, not used in the active patrons sections of any library for years. Not even at he downtown active section where they use the top and bottom shelves. Not in a well run public library. I’m of the opinion a lot of people who comment on this site have a populist bent and don’t use any library.
THE NEED FOR AN 11th HOUR IN PEORIA
Mayor Ardis’s plan has merit. Too often an idea takes shape in Peoria behind closed doors and citizens are expected to follow as good soldiers. Recently, I had a conversation with Ryan Spain’s dad when he questioned how I could be a proponent of “new urbanism” and yet be a part owner of a green field project.
He was referring to the new building my husband and his partners built at the corner of War Memorial and Northmoor, Midwest Orthopedic Center. Our experience may shed some light on why it is good to debate the library siting and keep the conversation going.
Originally, my husband’s group expected to build downtown. They met several times with city representatives to discuss possible locations and they eventually came to an impasse. City representatives were unable to give them good information about the re-design of I-74, issues regarding parking or the realistic future of the Med-Tech District.
Please keep in mind Midwest never asked for city money, enterprise status, or TIF designation. As it turned out they built their building without a single dollar of city help or tax rebate. And, if I may add, with no fanfare.
At the risk of sounding critical I can say the city just didn’t have their act together. Randy Oliver was too new, Mayor Ransburg was distracted, and my husband and his partners were on a time schedule. The stars just did not align.
I wish their building had been built downtown. I am sharing this story because if someone had stepped in at the eleventh hour and said, “Wait, we have a better idea, we can make this work, and you can be downtown in a great building”- Peoria would have one more medical building, not one less, contributing to the downtown’s vitality.
Since they have moved from the Methodist atrium several other medical offices have left downtown. Additionally, so have other enterprises. This is not good for the long term health of Peoria’s core and yet this pattern continues.
I applaud Jim Ardis and the council members who support him for questioning the library board’s decision to build a branch north. Eventually, Peoria will have to decide if they want to stop the trend of green field development. We will have to strengthen the urban core and look for ways to create more density and walkable destinations.
Building a library at exposition garden’s site would serve several existing neighborhoods, multiple schools, and two senior centers. It would be accessible on foot, by auto and served by transit. The other sites would primarily be accessible only by car.
I am sorry to hear Gary Sandburg, Peoria’s primary advocate for new urbanism, has been forced out of the loop. I can only hope everyone can put their differences aside and do what is best for the economic future of the city. We will have higher taxes- that is a given- but how high will they have to be? Let’s look for ways to enhance what we have and spend less in the process.
Beth, as usual you share some goods thoughts. As a North Peoria resident, I either want a library out North or an expanded and refreshed version of Lakeview. I think the proposed Expo site would be a good compromise. That is where the Riverplex should have been built, as well, and then an entire community complex could have taken form.
I am, however, suspect as to why this proposal is coming forth at the last hour. It is so disrespectful to all that were involved in the planning of the library expansion related to this referendum and it just delays matters further. I understand the need to revitalize the heart of Peoria, but in the mean time you cannot offer the current Lakeview with its empty shelves and nonexistent reference materials and the limited hours of the downtown library and continue to say, sorry Peorians that will have to do.
I have been waiting for expanded library services north of War Memorial since my oldest entered kindergarten and she is now finishing 8th grade. I fully expect she will applying to colleges before our family sees a new shiny version of a library being offered in the area.
Sometimes, living in Peoria can be very discouraging!!
WOW! It is great to know Republicans for Peoria has such a fervent apologist in Mr Widmer.
Populists don’t use libraries? I see lines of Republicans waiting to get into the Lakeview library. The new Ann Coulter is in.
“Knowing Randy Ray, he may have made some “tongue in cheek” comment about Elliott’s.”
Wow.
Talk about needing to “get real”.
I’m sure this was just some idea that Randy pulled out of thin air.
Merle, what does Gary Sandberg’s archectural firm have to do with this? Nor do I recall the last time I was asked my political affiliation when I went to a library (which happend to be last night). Let’s talk substance here, not personalities and irrelevancies.
$35 million = 2008, who knows how much it will cost when the city finally lets the library do what they need to do
ladders in libraries = I think shedding some light was making a point, he/she doesn’t REALLY think libraries still use ladders
expo = not far enough north to take care of the dunlap customers currently using lakeview
expo = is the land up for sale? don’t see any for sale signs there. and isn’t northmoor going to widen? what would happen to the library if it’s put out by the road?
Dunlap already has a library expansion in the works. So why would we be concerned with a Peoria Library not far enough north to service Dunlap customers?
they are not very friendly. customers like peoria libraries better from what I hear.
I’m biased because my wife works for PPL, but I’ve heard similar things to you, gimme a break.
You’re right – $35M in 2008 may be $40M or $45M by the time the city council cuts the rhetoric politicking BS and votes on the bonds.
Merle — It appears that your three biggest complaints are (a) there was no formal opposition organized to the library referendum, (b) past library boards have made mistakes, and (c) Gary Sandberg doesn’t pay as much in taxes as you do. I don’t find those arguments terribly compelling.
Beth — This plan was published before the referendum was even put on the ballot, let alone passed by 72% in April 2007. Why didn’t the council “[question] the library board’s decision to build a branch north” then? It’s not like this is some sort of surprise revelation. Why did they wait until after the library board had done all the programming, planning, site selection, etc.? What a waste of everyone’s time and no small amount of money. And while I appreciate that a library at Expo would be a boon to the surrounding neighborhoods there, losing the library at Lakeview would be a loss to its surrounding neighborhoods.
Gimme & Common — The Dunlap library is all the way up on Cedar Hills Drive. It’s too far north. There needs to be a library somewhere between Lakeview and Dunlap… at least, if you agree that libraries should be evenly distributed throughout the city for easy accessibility. Absent that premise, then I suppose libraries could be anywhere, or one could just do away with satellite branches altogether.
gimme a break,
You stated that the Dunlap Library was not friendly. That is true! Furthermore you may recall that the results from the referendum to build the new library were extremely small – like less than 10 votes – hardly a mandate from the public! Furthermore it was flawed and the library board failed to notify the public in time that a recount could be made. So it’s not just a matter of being unfriendly it’s also one of being untrustworthy!
^oo^~
PPL Supporter —You’re right – $35M in 2008 may be $40M or $45M by the time the city council cuts the rhetoric politicking BS and votes on the bonds.
I am for public libraries — although initially for the referendum, I voted against it because COP already has too much debt. I agree that libraries are basic city services yet on the backs of the other boondoogles — think ball stadium, restaurants on stilts, Gateway Building — PPD’s Riverplex and zoo expansion we just cannot afford $35M>
Then the $35M, $40M, or $45M will end up being double for the terms of a 20-30 year bond issues so then in my opinion we really cannot afford it $70-90M for a library expansion because that is what it will actually cost.
One Feral Kat,
“Furthermore it was flawed and the library board failed to notify the public in time that a recount could be made.”
The library board was under no obligation to notify anyone that a recount could be made. The only limiting factor on a recount is the percent of difference in the vote.
If the Dunlap Library is unfriendly won’t it be more prudent to address the issue at the library then using it as a reason to build a new library just down the road.
As for the Dunlap Library being way up on Cedar Hills Drive, the City of Peoria is within a half mile of Cedar Hills Drive.
“As for the Dunlap Library being way up on Cedar Hills Drive, the City of Peoria is within a half mile of Cedar Hills Drive.” — which proves that Expo is not NORTH Peoria
This is an interesting spin: The corner of Northmoor and University isn’t NORTH Peoria. Puh-lease.
curious & gimme,
While the Dunlap Library may have a property address of 13918 Cedar Hills Drive that is inside the “city limits” of Dunlap and walking distance from both the grade and high schools in Dunlap. I get the impression you folks think it is on the more commonly thought of stretch of Cedar Hills Drive sitting just north of Lake of the Woods and running down the hill to CAT Mossville.
Please understand I don’t have a horse in this race so where ever PLD decides really make no difference to me personally.
BTW “curios” I hear you defending the Dunlap Library Board, but the issue was the PJS had reported in error that the referendum had been defeated. The Board decided not to raise a flag until it was too late for a recount – that’s the untrustworthiness I have reference to.
^oo^~
curious — Peoria isn’t within a half mile of the 13000 block of Cedar Hills Drive (where the Dunlap library is), but I get your point. My point, however, is that there’s about 11 miles between Lakeview and Dunlap libraries. You move Lakeview to Expo Gardens and now it’s 10 miles from the Dunlap library. If one of the goals is to have branches evenly distributed throughout the city, putting a branch at Expo doesn’t accomplish that. In fact, I don’t see that it accomplishes anything, really. If we’re going to scrap the north Peoria branch idea, then just expand Lakeview where it is. I don’t see a compelling reason to spend so much extra money to move it a single mile north.
Didn’t all those people who moved that way, move there to get away from it all? Make em drive. If the gas price gets too much and the library is sooo important then maybe they should move back to the Heart of Peoria.
It isn’t like Peoria is going to stop annexing north, after all it is how we keep “growing” 🙂 Expo Gardens is only going to get farther way from “North Peoria” as time goes on.
Mahkno — I sympathize with your sentiments. But once the land is annexed and the city commits to provide services to those people, I don’t think we can then ostracize that part of the city. The time to say “you moved out there, deal with the lack of services” would be before the city annexes the land. I personally would like to put a moratorium on annexations — or at least insist that a cost/revenue analysis be performed and require that only those annexations that can prove positive net revenue to the city be admitted. That would cut down on most annexations right there, or would force development to be more dense if it wants to benefit from city services.
amen beancounter!
One feral kat
The PJS didn’t report in error the results. They report the unofficial results on election night which changed after the counting of late absentee ballots and provisional ballots. The correct results were report by WCBU,and possibly other, two days later and were posted by the County two days later and then the official results were posted two weeks later.
CJ
I understand your point about the distance between Lakeview and Dunlap but my point is not to look just ad PPL but all the library’s in the area. That would also include the Peoria Heights library.
I agree that the Expo location, while it’s close to schools, is not necessarily the best location in regards to the Lakeview branch. A further north location would be suitable, but not for the mere reason of servicing Dunlap residents.
Of the locations the library board have been researching would be to build a new facility next to the new Sud’s dealership on Allen Rd. Then instead of a branch library too close to another existing branch, this would be too close (2-3 miles, I think) to the Dunlap library.
Though I did vote no on the library referendum, I would favor either the old Festival Foods building or the old K’s Merchandise. These structures are already built and would only need to be rehabed. Building a new facilty so close to an existing library does not make sense… regardless if it’s Lakeview or Dunlap.
“Merle — It appears that your three biggest complaints are (a) there was no formal opposition organized to the library referendum, (b) past library boards have made mistakes, and (c) Gary Sandberg doesn’t pay as much in taxes as you do. I don’t find those arguments terribly compelling.”
Seconded.
“But once the land is annexed and the city commits to provide services to those people, I don’t think we can then ostracize that part of the city.”
Well then we should be requiring low income housing to be built up there too and maybe some PHA as well. Share the wealth as they say. No picking and choosing. You get the whole package both good and bad. Be nice to see some PHA along the Rock Island Trail near Trails Edge Subdivision. Why should only the uber rich benefit from such a premium walkway. How about some low income housing next to Banner Elementary and Augusta? Poor people need school choices too.
mahkno: Been there and tried that scenario. Ask Mr. Nichting, why the fifth district is against the idea of inclusive city-wide low income housing.
DeWayne’s article did not mention that Spears idea was similar to Five Points in concept; an all year round community center with a library, skateboard park, ice rink, etc.
Turn Lakeview Library into a Children’s Museum and Childrens Library.
I ran this idea by a library board member who said “we never thought of that”.
I’m probably in the top 10% of patrons using libraries. I’m certainly not opposed to libraries but they aren’t the nostalgic mecca’s of bygone years. Especially, not when I saw four young men viewing naked women doing lewd acts on a computer monitor at the Downtown Library.
With all the weaknesses in the $35 miillion request there were a lot of things they should have thought more about before they even started to sell the “project”.
DeWayne and I visted Lincoln Library to view a 2:30 P.M. after school program.
Only the instructor showed up. DeWayne also commented “not many books are checked out”.
Right, DeWayne?
Let the mayor and city council vote this down. Doing so will cause those of us in the Silent Majority who voted for the library referendum to ignite with anger and rise up and change our mayor and several city council members in the city election in 10 months and then we can get the libraries we voted for by 72%.
We went out to vote and we will vote again with anger at the deception of the city council who voted unanimously to put the $35 million library bond referedum on the ballot and then thugishly defied our expressed will.
Those who oppose the library by saying only a small percentage of the people voted in the at-large city council/library referendum election should know not many more voters vote in mayoral/city council elections.
If the library referendum is illegitimate because not enough people voted, then our city council is illegitimate because the same voters decided that election also. In a representative democracy only those who choose to vote have a say.
Wait until the people hear about city council meddling to close Lakeview. They have no idea the hornets nest they are fooling with. If any city council members would have attended the public hearings before the plan was developed to put to a referendum they would have witnessed countless citizens adamantly opposed to closing Lakeview. But these fools know not what they are stirring up. Ignorance will be bliss for them–until the next city election.
All those who didn’t vote in the library referendum/city council election likely won’t vote again in the next city election. On the other hand–We will be back.
Question:On the east coast,schools have their own websites for 20 years,now.Parents have had access to all information including daily homework and events at the school. Also, Districts have had these 45 minute prep periods for at least 25 years, now! However, the school day never was cut off for any time(the 45 minute prep is included in the regular school day. Why can’t the district include that 45 minutes without eliminating any time from the school day?
When I voted “Yes” for the library, was I dreaming or was the site going to be the old K’s Merchandise?
That was the impression that was floating out there…
Also, Northward annexation is doomed by the lack of public transportation… Time for a paradigm shift… the whites can’t flee any further.