I realize I’m going to get criticized for never being happy no matter what the outcome, but nevertheless, the city council’s vote tonight to give the library $28 million with no strings attached left me scratching my head.
First of all, how did they come up with $28 million? One of the concerns about the library’s plan was that $35 million was too much in light of the city’s (and, ultimately, the taxpayers’) other obligations. Apparently, $28 million is not too much, since it was approved. But why? Why not $29 million? Or $6 million? Or $34.5 million? How did $28 million become the magic threshold?
Well, I confirmed after the meeting what I suspected was the reason: The $7 million reduction is the cost of upgrading the Lakeview branch. You may recall that several council members suggested that the library board wait to upgrade Lakeview until the effects of a new northern branch on Lakeview’s patronage could be determined. Fair enough.
But cutting the full $7 million pegged for Lakeview was rather simplistic. Lakeview is still going to need some upgrading. The library board isn’t going to just leave it to rot and they’re thinking: is it time to replace your ac unit? Even without expansion, it still needs capital improvements, such as air conditioning repair and technology upgrades. Professional AC Repair Services in Boca Raton can help achieve this.
So what should have happened? The item should have been deferred until after the library board met, put together a revised proposal — basically the same plan as before, but with the Lakeview expansion removed — and presented it with the new price tag to the council. I don’t know what that price tag would have been, but it’s a safe bet it would have been more than $28 million and considerably less than $35 million. Then the council should have voted on that.
Instead, we have a rather artificially-set limit that guarantees cuts will have to be made elsewhere in the plan, but no one knows exactly where yet, nor how little or how drastic those cuts must be. First district councilman Clyde Gulley realized this and asked if the cuts were going to come out the plans for the south side (Lincoln branch). Despite the equivocal answer he received, he voted for the plan anyway, just like almost everyone else.
I feel confident that the library board will make good decisions about where to cut, but just find it a bit boggling that the council wouldn’t vote for a $35 million plan with plenty of detail, but would happily vote for a $28 million plan that lacks some potentially significant specifics.
Excellent post. I agree with you 100%.
Regardless of whether you support libraries and expansions are not, these are rough economic times and $28 million ($56 million with interest) is too much additional debt to take on.
I’m glad they voted on it last night and I thought that the compromise they reached was reasonable. But, you have a fair concern as well. And you’re right, I have confidence that the library board will do what they have to do to upgrade Lakeview’s infrastructure at a reasonable cost w/o having to cut corners at the other branches.
Probably more to this than what we read. I think it’s in good hands.
very reasonable compromise! so glad this can move forward after 3? 4? 10? years of planning! pat on the back to library board and staff!
Did you hear that C.J. — Emtronics agrees with you 100 percent. So does the Journal Star. Kudos!
That’s because they’re not library-haters like you, Billy. 😉
If I may indulge myself here……………..
“First of all, how did they come up with $28 million? One of the concerns about the library’s plan was that $35 million was too much in light of the city’s (and, ultimately, the taxpayers’) other obligations. Apparently, $28 million is not too much, since it was approved. But why? Why not $29 million? Or $6 million? Or $34.5 million? How did $28 million become the magic threshold?”
-C.J. Summers
DIBERGI: Does that mean it’s louder? Is it any louder?
TUFNEL: Well, it’s one louder, isn’t it? It’s not ten. You see, most blokes, you know, will be playing at ten. You’re on ten here, all the way up, all the way up, all the way up, you’re on ten on your guitar. Where can you go from there? Where?
DIBERGI: I don’t know.
TUFNEL: Nowhere. Exactly. What we do is, if we need that extra push over the cliff, you know what we do?
DIBERGI: Put it up to eleven.
TUFNEL: Eleven. Exactly. One louder.
DIBERGI: Why don’t you just make ten louder and make ten be the top number and make that a little louder?
TUFNEL: (Extremely long pause) These go to eleven.
-Spinal Tap
Am I the only one that sees this?!?!?!?
“Did you hear that C.J. — Emtronics agrees with you 100 percent. So does the Journal Star. Kudos!”
And you and Merle Widmer are the tag-team champs on this subject, Bill. Kudos!
Thanks! Merle is a smart guy.