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Bond referendum
for library expansion put to a vote next Tuesday
By MICHAEL BOYLAN
mboylan@TheCitizenNews.com
Peachtree City residents will
have several matters to vote on next Tuesday. Not only will they be electing
two new councilmen, but they will also get to decide whether to pass a
bond to finance an expansion and renovation for the Peachtree City Library.
The Peachtree City Library Commission has been looking into this issue
for a number of years, getting suggestions from patrons on what the library
needs. The commission started looking into the issue seriously earlier
this year. They hired the Leo Daly Company to evaluate the library’s
current conditions and come up with a plan for what the library should
look like.
The Daly Company, which has built libraries in a number of states over
the past few years, came up with a plan it says would satisfy the city’s
needs for 20 years. It gave the library larger sections for patrons of
all ages, a larger audio/visual section, better lighting, better sight
lines and a more efficient use of space overall for staff and materials.
The plan also dealt with some glaring problems that need to be resolved,
whether the bond passes or not. Among the problems are a leak in the roof,
an HVAC system that needs to be replaced and aisles that need to be widened
to meet Americans with Disabilities Act standards.
It is estimated that the expansion and renovation will cost $4.9 million.
By themselves, the projects that are required to be done will cost well
over a million dollars.
The commission feels that now is the appropriate time to expand, especially
since rates for bonds have been very low thus far. If approved, the commission
can lock into a low rate. The cost to taxpayers is estimated to be approximately
$25 a year for 15 years, if the value of your home is $200,000.
The library commission presented the plans to the planning commission
and city council, not for formal acceptance but rather for an endorsement.
After getting this, they began working on getting the word out to the
voters. Members of the McIntosh 4-H club have offered their help, as have
other members in the community. Brochures were printed and members of
the commission have spoken to area civic organizations for over a month
now. They are hoping they have succeeded in spreading the message.
While the commission has found a lot of support in the community, they
have encountered their share of naysayers as well. One question they have
faced on more than one occasion is, “Didn’t the library just
expand?” The answer is no. The last expansion came in 1996 when the
library added 10,000 square feet. The project cost $1.5 million and was
paid for through a matching fund. The city paid 20 percent of the total
cost, roughly $300,000, and the state picked up the rest of the tab. That
$300,000 came after the Fayette County Library expanded, thanks to the
passing of the SPLOST. Monies raised by the SPLOST over $4 million went
to the other municipalities in Fayette County to improve their libraries.
The Peachtree City Library had money left over from its previous expansion
and that is what was used to pay the Daly Company this year.
Another concern the commission has heard is, “If the city is nearing
build out, why do we need to expand?”
Commission chairman Chris Clark said, “Ten years ago, nobody could
project the fundamental ways that the library would change. Our audio/visual
section and foreign language section have grown exponentially, as has
the computer section. It takes a lot of power to run the PCs that we have
and currently we don’t have space for any more. I couldn’t find
room for another computer, even if one was donated to us.”
The members of the library commission are still out there presenting plans
for the possible expansion and answering any and all questions. They can’t
encourage people to vote a certain way, but they do urge everyone to come
and out vote.
They will hold one final workshop tonight at 6:30 p.m. in the meeting
room of the Public Works building in Peachtree City.
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