Councillor opinions vary on new library

FORT FRANCES—With the building committee still aiming to see construction of the new library start this spring, town council is wrestling with how it will pay for its share of the project.
During Monday’s budget meeting, it was clear that while no councillor entirely opposes the idea of a new library, all have different opinions on whether the town can pay anywhere from $1.1-1.8 million to see one built here this year.

“I love the library. I’m in favour of building the library,” said Coun. John Albanese. “But I would like the people of Fort Frances to know exactly where we stand.
“Right now, I don’t want to burden the taxpayers of Fort Frances with $1.9 million.
“I personally think we should delay the project for another year until we get some funding,” he added. “We have to go out there and start knocking on some doors to get some money.
“The people of Fort Frances aren’t going to stand for a 2.5 percent residential increase for the next 15 years.”
Coun. Albanese noted the town’s immediate priorities should be the water tower, the water and sewer system, and roads.
“I think the majority of council wants to see something started,” said Mayor Roy Avis. “We want to see it go ahead, and we want to do it in a prudent manner that’s responsible to the taxpayers.
“We have to sit down with the building committee and see what we can come up with, a compromise or whatever it takes,” he added. “That’s the way I see it.
“I hope we can do that soon.”
Coun. Sharon Tibbs said council must talk with the library building committee to “get inside their heads” and understand their rationale for all the features of the new library before suggesting any changes, such as scaling back the size of the building.
(It was confirmed late yesterday that the committee of the whole of council will meet with the library building committee at 4 p.m. this coming Monday).
“What I think we need to do, before we get into the nitty-gritty and go around in circles, is decide whether we’re going to commit,” noted Coun. Andrew Hallikas. “Either the project goes forward or we kill the project.
“If we kill the project, end of story.
“If we’re going to go forward with it, then we need to decide how to go forward with it,” he continued. “We need some direction rather than just sit here and go around in circles.
“These people [the library building committee] have been coming to council time and time again, and time and time again, council has said, ‘We support you every step of the way.’
“We can’t keep doing this,” Coun. Hallikas stressed. “We need to give them assurances we are going to see this project through, or we’re not.”
Coun. Hallikas noted past councils must have had to make similarly tough decisions to go ahead with the Ice for Kids Arena and the Townshend Theatre, but those facilities have since proven to be “incredibly valuable” to the community and the library will prove to be the same.
Community Services manager George Bell noted the town had not even applied for grants before giving the go-ahead to build the new arena.
But Mayor Avis was quick to point out that was a different time—the town had $13 million in reserves in those days while today it has just $2.1 million in reserves and more than $4 million in long-term debt.
“I was in favour of this whole thing right from the get-go with what we had in front of us at the time,” said Coun. Paul Ryan. “But the complexion has changed. There’s grants we didn’t get, and now we have to be fiscally responsible.
“I have to look at how much I’m putting the town in the ditch for this library,” he remarked, adding the town also has to repair its infrastructure.
While acknowledging the province is starting to fund more and more infrastructure projects, Coun. Ryan said the town still will have to pay for at least part of the costs of these future projects.
As well, Coun. Ryan said he feels the bids on the library project very well may come in higher than $3.9 million.
He also has concerns about the operating costs of the new, larger library, given that it’s 15,000 sq. ft. while the current library, which is only 8,500 sq. ft. in size, already has an annual operating cost of $437,000.
But Bell said the new library will be more efficient. For example, the hot water will be heated by solar electric heat while the heating will be re-circulated from neighbouring buildings.
Bell also noted he’s looking into “green” energy programs for funding opportunities.
Coun. Rick Wiedenhoeft said he also is in favour of going ahead with the new library, but wants to do it as cost-effectively as possible, with minimal impact to the taxpayers.
“Can we scale back the design without completely destroying the concept they have envisioned?” he asked.
Bell noted while the design could be tweaked, the technological aspect of the library would be the first to go—and that technology aspect is the basis for a $250,000 grant application currently before FedNor.
Coun. Hallikas also stressed the importance of the technological aspects of the proposed library.
“This is something that’s really going to help our town in the future,” he said. “There’s potential here.
“The fact that we’ve been designated a regional link to the Thunder Bay Innovation Centre, there’s endless possibilities for our town to have economic benefits from this.
“In terms of small business, in terms of our students, who let’s face it are isolated, we need all the electronic contact we can get.
“We have to watch, if we’re going to start cutting back, that we don’t cut back on the integrity of the original project,” Coun. Hallikas warned.
“A lot of thought has been put into this—13 years worth of some pretty bright people thinking about what’s the best vision of a library and technology facility that we could have in Fort Frances that would benefit our citizens.”
Coun. Hallikas said the library board has been cutting where it could all along to keep costs down, and is confident that if they say the project will cost $3.9 million, it will end up costing $3.9 million.
“They’ll make the necessary cuts. But they’re the ones that have to make the cuts—I don’t think council should just be cutting indiscriminately,” he added.
“If there needs to be any sort of compromise, I think it needs to come from the library board.
“I don’t think we can delay it,” Coun. Hallikas continued. “To delay it is to watch the costs go up. We have an opportunity right now to do something really good for the future of this town.”
“Everybody in this town will use the roads that we pave,” countered Coun. Ryan. “I’m looking at 34 testimonials [from library users] in front of me tonight, and that’s nice and I’m glad. But that’s not everyone in town.
“I’m trying to weigh what I do here,” he added. “I’m trying to be fiscally responsible to everyone in this town.
“To go ahead without the money in place and a lot of variables, and if something doesn’t work out and we can’t get out of it because we’ve awarded a contract, we’ve got another skate park.
“This is what I’ve been hearing.”
Councillors got a look at four scenarios devised by town treasurer Laurie Witherspoon at Monday’s budget meeting.
In the best-case scenario, the $3.9-million library would funded through a combination of currents funds ($1.93 million), FedNor funding that the town is waiting for (in the amount of $250,000), the sale of the old library for $150,000, and a fundraising campaign which has achieved its goal of $750,000.
This would leave the town financing $1.176 million, either through long-term debt, tax increases (in the 1.3-1.7 percent range), or a combination of both.
In the worst-case scenario, the $3.9-million library would be funded only through current funds ($1.93 million) and $200,000 in funds raised through the “Building for the Future” campaign.
This scenario would assume the town does not get the FedNor funding it’s waiting on, cannot sell the old library property, and the library fundraising campaign does not meet its $750,000 goal.
This would leave the town financing $1.8 million, either through long-term debt, tax increases (in the 2.0-2.7 percent range), or a combination of both.
Witherspoon stressed to council, however, that the scenarios are hypothetical, and that it’s difficult to actually know what the town’s share would be until all variables become known.
By the same token, the scenarios also assume the bids on the library project come in at the estimated cost of $3.9 million.
“When I look at these scenarios today, with what we know now, I can really only look at case #1 [the worst-case scenario],” said Coun. Ryan, adding the rest all depend on variables coming to fruition.
“You know, I have to disagree with you,” said Coun. Hallikas. “We’ve got an incredible committee of dedicated people out there, and when they say they’re going to raise $750,000, personally I would take that to the bank.
“I believe we’re going to get $750,000 over the five years,” he stressed. “Personally, I think you would need to include that in your calculations.
“You would need to include the fact that there’s money in the library reserve funds. I think you need to include that the building does have some worth in your calculations.
“To me, those are facts.” added Coun. Hallikas, noting only the FedNor grant for $250,000 is really a variable.
In related news, Mayor Avis noted people should be aware that the site of the new library will be near the Memorial Sports Centre, and while some members of the public may not prefer it, this location has been decided upon.
“That’s not on the table,” he remarked. “The previous council made that decision. I was part of that council, part of that decision.
“I still support it.”
(Fort Frances Times)