Library Funding and FY 2011 Budget concerns
I would have spoken up at town meeting last night but I didn't think my comments would have an outcome on the vote for the library funding. However, I have some very real concerns about the timing of this project as I'm sure the library trustees do as well.
For those who weren't at town meeting last night, the town voted to appropriate $60,000 to the library to continue their development of architectural renderings in pursuit of $3.9 million in state aid to the town for building a new library. According to the library's own presentation last night, this brings the library's out-of-pocket spending to about $380,000 for this project since 2005.
Later this year, I understand that the trustees intend to request a special town meeting at which they are going to ask us to approve a funding authorization for an amount between 3 and 4 million dollars. This money is estimated construction costs for a new library above and beyond the state aid and expected private donations. Their argument will be that if we don't vote through the funding, we are going to lose our $3.9 million in state contribution that they have been working on for 4 years.
Everyone who was at town meeting last night heard Pam Dukeman tell us to gird our loins for FY 2011. She is expecting significant cuts in services resulting from declining revenue. She also said that the town's bond rating had fallen in part because we did not have sufficient capital reserves.
So here's the problem I see looming. If the town decides to fund $3-4 million for new library construction in the fall, what are the chances that we're going to also pass a multi-million dollar operational override 6 months later? Not very good I think. This could be a real problem for the schools and other town services including the library. It would be fair irony if the library had it's operating budget cut by 20% at the same time it was putting up a new 32,000 sq ft building.
I also wonder about the cost of maintaining and operating a new library building. I assume the old library building will be retained for other purposes. If we are already behind in our capital reserves and can't keep up with maintenance on our existing structures, how can we justify building yet another one? Wouldn't we be better served keeping our exisiting infrastructure in good repair? Couldn't the $380,000, that's been spent pursuing the pot of gold from the state, have been better used to address some of the shortcomings of the existing building?
I commend the library trustees for their hardwork and dedication to making the library a true resource for our town. I realize this is a difficult conversation but it's one that needs to take place. This project made sense in 2005. Does it still make sense in 2009? What do others think?
Comments
Time is ripe for building library and community
In addition to being a Fieldstone Rd. resident, I'll have to admit to being a library director for another town, Milton, which a month ago opened a brand new library. We bid our project in May of 2007, when the construction industry had already begun to soften. We got seven bids, five of which were under budget, and although we were subject to the usual overburden of change orders, we will not spend our full project allocation of $13.4 million.
If we are going to build a library anytime in the next twenty years, now is the time. There is a competitive supply of good, hungry contractors and we will never see these prices again. Same goes for the costs to borrow - there is not much room for them to move other than up.
Fundraising is going to be tough now, but the Trustees have laid a solid foundation to get it started. With a new architect on board and now funded, the library can develop a plan and a new estimated cost. Milton bonded almost $8 million, got 3.7 from the state and raised the rest for a slightly larger building than we anticipate. (39k sq'). A deal along those lines is one to grab. It is going to take a good two years to get to a bidding stage - push it much longer and the opportunity to take advantage of this recession starts slipping away.
I understand the concern about competing with operational funding. I have two sophomores at Westwood High, and I'm truly grateful at the education they have gotten and know that it is due to the commitment of the townsfolk to solid town services and education. When they start applying for colleges, they will get a lot higher visibility because they can say they are from Westwood high. However, I still think we cannot shelve the good work the Trustees have done so far and miss this economic opportunity. Floating a 20 year bond through a debt exclusion is a lot less expensive than a permanent override, and I think we are smart enough to realize it is not one or the other. (If the next operating override is not well crafted and frugal, it won't pass whether we decide to build a library or not)
And we are not just talking about putting up a building, but about building and strengthening our community.
I haven't looked at our building program since I got a 2003 version, but it was clear even then that the Trustees were intent on improving the people space - the community gathering space, and not just providing room for more collections to give us a wider selection of books. Our meeting rooms are now used 2-3 times a day, but they are really half the size they should be. The reading nooks and quiet study rooms or tutor spaces just don't exist - its all open hall table seating. The Children's room that my kids used so much is stuck in a basement area more as an afterthought, and the meeting room is even harder to find and access.
Libraries today are really about community and getting together in a town cultural center. We get an incredible amount out of the current building, but it hit its limit long ago and is holding us back. We should take it down and create a real focal point for Westwood center and the Westwood community.
Phil McNulty
changes uses of Library
I think it would be great to have a discussion about the uses of a Library and what role that plays in community. I agree--it is a great anchor to a community with all the other activities besides housing books. It is a public space where the community can come together--whether for meetings in the meeting rooms, children's programs and activities, access to discount programs like the museum passes, free public internet access, and research--whether it be kids for school projects, adults for job search and education, or just people reading magazines...the point is, while many of these things could be done in other ways, a building like a library provides a public space so people are not "in isolation. I think a modern library should really be more of a community center--and in that sense, the opportunity to renovate it becomes an opportunity to create something much more useful than a building that houses books.
With respect to costs...of course, it is always about taxes and no one wants to see them increased. But there is also a strong argument to be made that in tough times, we really should be making sure every penny possible goes to investment in the future, not just operational costs that, like rent, are spent and gone forever.
Phil, thanks for the
Phil, thanks for the thoughtful and comprehensive response. You raise some excellent points about seizing the moment to take advantage of the economy to cut a construction deal. And I suppose any time the state promises to pick up a third of our construction costs it must be tempting.
However, I also know that the cost of construction is a one-time cost whereas operating costs are a gift that keep on costing. You're right, it's easy to say "float a 20-year bond" and absorb the monthly nut, but then you still have to pay the operating costs on top of that monthly nut every year FOREVER. I would love to own a Ferrari, but even if I got one for free, I still couldn't afford to keep it on the road.
Ultimately, communities aren't about the buildings, they are about the people. Buildings are structures, nothing more. Does the size of the building make one library better than another? I guess it depends on your criteria. I'm sure there are plenty of libraries around the country of equal or smaller size than ours that are viewed as pinnacles of their communities because of the services they provide, not their square footage.
I know it sounds as though I'm "anti-library" but that is not the case. I am extremely "pro library". I would much prefer to have a smaller library that is open and actively serving the community for extended hours than a large library that can barely afford to keep it's doors open. Library events don't have to take place at the library. What about the schools, senior center, town hall, churches, or the Islington Community Center? Let's use the assets we already own.
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John Craine
50 Blue Hill Drive
Phil what do you think of
Phil what do you think of the church across from the fire station. Do we really need the Islington Library if we want to have a larger new library. My point is that land can be sold and the funds allocated towards the Library project. Sometimes in life you have to give up something to get something much better in return. Their has been talk on the blog about revitalizing Islington and this Idea may help kick start that.
We have no Idea what the amount of the override for next year is going to be. The less money asked for the project the better chance of the library project passing.
Islington Library
I'm all in favor of doing something to spur some creative development in Islington...but I do think there MUST be a community, public anchor. The sanctuary in the ICC is lightly used; the rest of the building is heavily used by the main tenant, Mothers' Morning Out Nursery (where my kids go). That little branch Library has seen better days...maybe there is a some combination of public/private uses that could create a more active community center...but it is a whole new project, independent of the main Library.
When our WestCAT (Westwood Community Access Television) group was looking for potential office and studio space, we looked at the ICC and concluded it was just too much work and expense to ask the Town to repurpose or carve up the sanctuary. But maybe a larger, more comprehensive plan for that area could incorporate Library, media, and other public uses...and preserve the distinctive architectural aspects as well.
Re Islington Branch
I don't know much about the ownership of that whole property, and while I've been to the branch a few times, I don't have a strong sense of what its clientele and usage levels are. In the short run, the branch will probably be key to maintaining a level of service while the Main Library is under construction.
In the long term, it is really about what type of environment the Islington community wants. Dave Atkin's point about having a public space there has merit. An hour ago I was listening to the Car Talk guys mention that the US doesn't really have space to gather together that does not involve shopping or spending money. Islington has the park, the branch and the ball field, plus a couple of restaurants - so it's got some "sticky" features that make people spend a bit of time, rather than just run into and out of stores and go home. Hanging around the home town leisure has not been big on American's priority list in the last few decades, but that may need to change. We can't ignore the money issues, but we can't let them be the only factor we are thinking of.
islington library
Mr. Feyler,
I live in Islington and so do my parents and many friends. We all use the library here and I know all of them will be very disappointed that they supported you with signs in their yards when they find out you are floating the idea of getting rid of this library.
Many of us spend days out with our kids going to the playground, then to Islington Pizza for lunch, then over to the library. Though it is a little run down, it's much loved on this side of town.
I strongly disagree that selling off the library that we use would get "something much better" for us over here.
If you plan another run for anything, I suggest you rethink this idea. I hope you rethink it anyway.
Jennifer it's great that you
Jennifer it's great that you responded and I hope more residents respond. What if you could have a new Library that is the same square footage as the Islington Library,in the same location? Who knows what deals could be made with a developer unless we start bouncing different Ideas out there. All I am doing is throwing around Ideas. If you have any Ideas that helps with our taxes and preserves what is near and dear to the residents then blog it. I didn't have that many signs in Islington but I do thank every resident that gave me the opportunity to speak to them and allowed me to put a sign on their lawn.
I'm not sure that I will run for a board again. I do thank you again for responding to my post. Maybe we can get some creative people with Ideas to start thinking outside the box. We need more tax revenue and all this blog allows is conversation between residents, which I feel is good.
parking near Morrison Park
Speaking of Islington and the train station, I've noticed commuters parking at the Morrison Park parking lot and walking up to the Islington station. Is this allowed? I presume the commuters are doing this to avoid the $4 parking fee. I can see this being fine in the winter when the fields are really in use, but maybe it should be considered a parking vioation during spring/summer months. I feel like if you can't be 'em, join 'em (and I'd love to avoid the $4 daily cost to park), but I haven't parked there because I don't want to take parking spots of parents going to see their kids play ball at Morrison. Anyone know if there's an official rule on this?
illegal and dangerous
I'm not sure what the parking regulations are, but as I noted a while back, at least a few commuters do this regularly. They climb up to the train tracks, then walk along the tracks to the Islington commuter rail stop. Making the parking spaces 2-hour limited would require the police to go chalk tires (or however they do this these days) and enforce the 2-hour limit. I guess the more practical question is whether this is a big problem/inconvenience for people using the fields or not? It's a good topic for our Pedestrian/Bike Safety Commitee which meets this Thursday...there is a short term question of whether or not there is a problem at Morrison Field due to commuter parkers...and an longer term, much bigger safety issue of that whole area around the East Street bridge and the commuter rail station.
Phil McNulty
What Mr. McNulty doesn't tell you about is that the once the Town of Westwood absorbs the huge cost to build a new library, the future operational costs to keep it running is going to suck every dime out off all other library functions within the town. More than likely, if you have branch libraries, they will be shut down. In Milton where he is the Library Director, he is doing just that. A significant portion of the population is against his moves, but both he and the Library Trustees seem to think that they know better than what the taxpayers want. Don't be duped into supporting a new library if unless you want to suffer the same fate.
This was my original point
This was my original fear before this thread was coopted. I'm glad we can hear some perspective on this from a resident of a neighboring town who can report from the front lines. Here is an article about the proposed closing of the East Milton branch library.
With state aid to towns down by over 30%, an operational override vote is a certainty at next year's town meeting and town services cuts all but guaranteed. Are you comfortable with the idea of floating a $12 million bond issue to fund a new library? How will this impact the override vote? If the override fails to pass where will services cuts be made? Remember, our schools account for fully half the town budget so they will get the worst of it.
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John Craine
50 Blue Hill Drive