Library Building Task Force
Minutes
04 November 2002
Members present:
Dean Baker, Beth McKinnon, Gary Warkentin, Jim Reynolds,
Felix Rimberg, Jack Townes, Jane Troeh, and Pam Webber.
Guests: Randy Ealy, Dave Piper, Gloria Polzin, Peggy
Piersall,
Jim called the meeting to order at 8:15.
Pam/Felix moved/seconded that the minutes of the October 15th
meeting be approved as corrected after striking the word “sharing”. The Task
Force approved the motion unanimously.
The principal items of business were progress reports from
the Finance, Communications, Structural Subcommittees.
Dean Baker (Finance Committee) distributed new Estacada
Public Library financial figures last week in an e-mail to all Task Force
members. He pointed out that the large portion of the budget was spent on
staffing and collection development. A minimal amount is spent on occupancy
costs. He also collected data this month on occupancy costs for libraries that
are the size we hope to be. Occupancy costs are not the major expense, but
additional staffing to man a larger space is of concern. He feels that our
architect will need to make minimum staffing a high priority in their design
concept. Gary reported visiting the newly expanded Forest Grove Library and
they need more staff, not because of additional square footage so much as
because of a huge surge in circulation. Katinka commented that the newly
expanded West Linn and Wilsonville Libraries are understaffed as well.
Jane Troeh (Communications Committee) presented the results
of the city council mandated survey that asked the citizens and library patrons
whether they had a preference for an uptown or downtown site for the new
library: 83 undecided, 100 chose the pond site, 255 chose the downtown core.
When these results were presented to the City Council, Jim asked for approval
to appraise the two downtown properties and received council consensus to go
ahead. There are two additional pieces of information needed along with the
appraisals: architectural assessment as to which site may be more suitable for
a library and meetings with property owners to forecast any possible roadblocks.
Jane asked what the process for appraisals will be? The next step is for Jack
to meet with Randy and work out an RFQ process for an appraiser. Jim asked for
direction. Is it too early for appraisals? Felix/Dean moved/seconded that Jack
and Randy qualify an appraiser so that when we are ready for appraisals, we
will have a qualified company prepared to begin. The motion was unanimously
approved.
Dean believes that Gary and Jim’s matrix needs to be applied
to each site before we spend money on the appraisals of sites. We need to make
sure that the two sites are appropriate before money is wasted on them. Jim
said that this had already been accomplished during Dean’s absence. Dean feels
that the public should have a record that every member worked through this
step. Felix suggested each committee member take the matrix home, fill it out
individually, and bring it to the next meeting. Jim asked Jack if we could have
an updated map of the properties that define the exact area we are looking at?
He will. Katinka asked for updated property costs which Jack was able to
provide immediately.
Beth asked that an additional site east of the Hitching Post
be considered since the poll so overwhelmingly pointed to the wish for a
downtown site. On behalf of a citizen request, Gary defined the property in
front of the High School as another possible site. Jim said that if the sites
that we are considering now do not turn out to be feasible, at that point the
Task Force will add additional sites to the mix.
Randy asked that the task force get hard numbers from
appraisers on the cost of these sites and apply our criteria methodically to
the sites. Jim asked Randy if there was any chance that the city would
participate in the appraisals of properties that are earmarked for urban
renewal? Randy said that the city might be able to respond with one or more
funds. He would take it to the City Council.
Dean asked at what point we would get architectural input on
the sites? Gary said that that would happen at the workshops in December. Gary
reported that the Structural Committee has begun the RFQ process for an
architect and said that time needed to be allocated in the RFQ schedule for
gathering legal advice and field trips to visit the works of the short list of
architects. He also reported that a PGE representative contacted him to let him
know that free consultation was available for electrical and mechanical
elements of the new library. PGE is promoting green options for new buildings.
The Task Force was very positive about the possibility.
Randy told the Task Force that the City is applying for a
Community Development Block Grant that specifically targets acquiring land for
parks. He said that the City is targeting the pond properties and plans to
build a new city park with the acquisition.
The next meeting will be on November 25th, at 8:00am in the
City Council Chambers. The meeting was adjourned at 10: 00.