Morgan Hill faces two library issues that are confusing many
residents. One is where to get future operating funds for the
current library; the other is how to fund a new library
building.
Morgan Hill faces two library issues that are confusing many residents. One is where to get future operating funds for the current library; the other is how to fund a new library building.
Lack of local support for the first is worrying library fans who see the need for funds as critical, but city officials are pulling out all the stops to find a way to the second.
The first involves the entire Santa Clara County Library System, nine county libraries from Los Altos to Gilroy, including Morgan Hill’s. The parcel tax assessment that helps support all nine libraries is the same for residents in each city; a March 2004 ballot measure to extend and increase that tax must be passed by each city; individual cities cannot opt out.
If the measure fails, when the current parcel tax runs out in 2005, the libraries will no longer have money to pay librarians, buy books or pay the PG&E bill. In short, they will close or greatly reduce their services.
A recent county library poll of Morgan Hill voters showed far less support for the tax extension than any other part of the county.
On the other hand, building a replacement library for Morgan Hill is entirely in Morgan Hill’s hands. Many residents remember being promised a new library when they voted to approve the Redevelopment Agency extension in 1999. Mayor Dennis Kennedy said he remembers slightly different results from a process asking voters how they wanted RDA money to be spent.
“The visioning process listed several projects; the library was one along with a community center and a recreation center,” Kennedy said.
In fact, a story in The Morgan Hill Times just after the 1999 election, said the money would be used for “infrastructure and community facilities, including a community center, a sports complex, aquatics center, an improved senior center, and recreation programs.
The RDA extension authorized the city to retain a total of $147 million from property taxes through 2014 that would normally go to the county, allowing local control of the money. The city has built its community center, constructed Butterfield Boulevard and is building the aquatic center.
“RDA money was never intended to build the entire library,” said Councilman Steve Tate.
Attempts to leverage $5.7 million RDA dollars reserved for the library into a $19 million building have failed twice when the city’s grant proposal for $14 million in state library bond money was rejected in favor of needier cities.
Nevertheless, the need to replace the 13,900-square-foot library built in 1973 for a population of 7,000, with one more in tune with the 40,000 plus service area and 21st century technology requirements is obvious to the City Council, which also acts as the RDA.
A succession of letters to the editor, people speaking at council meetings and contacting council members directly has brought the missing library issue to the forefront in recent weeks, emphasizing the passion people have for their library.
THE SUBCOMMITTEE
Tate, who serves as the city’s representative to the Joint Powers Authority, the group that runs the county library system, and Kennedy, the previous representative, are together leading a subcommittee to find a way – any way – to secure a new library for Morgan Hill.
The subcommittee has been meeting weekly, pouring over potential sites – including the lot behind City Hall – examining dark corners for sources of funding, trying to cobble together enough money to build at least the first, phase of a new building.
Leaving no stone unturned, the subcommittee is considering partnering with the school district in some way to use the tennis court/baseball fields on Britton Middle School’s Monterey Road/Keystone Avenue corner.
It is thinking about a public/private partnership to combine the library with attractive, supporting retail – and some housing – on the Albertson’s Morgan Hill Plaza site across from the community center.
The Sunsweet lot on East Third Street and Depot Avenue, next to The Morgan Hill Times building, has returned to the list after being rejected during the Library Commission’s initial search for the perfect site in the late 1990s. At that time, the lot was deemed too small for a 40,000-square-foot library with parking. Since that time the county library has eased its opposition to a two-story building and parking could be found off-site along Depot.
Leasing agreements between the county library, the city and Rocke Garcia’s Glenrock Group are undetermined at this point but Garcia is more willing than before to negotiate county library requirements, Kennedy said.
The fourth site, behind the current library and City Hall, is fraught with water table, slope and utility infrastructure difficulties, boosting the per-square-foot cost for a building to more than $500 – far higher than any other site. That lot was chosen by the City Council in response to a public outcry insisting on keeping the library where it is. Plans for a 40,000-square-foot building, with room to grow to 60,000, were drawn by architects Noll and Tam and paid for from county library funds.
The 40,000-square-foot dream library may be reduced to 30,000.
PARCEL TAX DETAILS
Whether or not there is a new library, keeping the doors open in the existing one is causing consternation with library officials.
“The parcel tax would increase the countywide assessment from $33.66 per parcel to $42 per parcel for seven years,” said Tate recently, “and without an escalator.” An escalator would allow the JPA to increase the assessment by 2 percent, if needed.
Library Commission chair Jeanne Gregg said that the $33.66 assessment paid 40 percent of library operating costs when it was approved in 1995.
“That amount now covers only 24 percent of costs,” she said.
“The Joint Powers Authority will lose $1 million if that happens,” Gregg said. She predicted that the libraries will have to cut their hours if that happens.
Gregg said she was extremely surprised when she ran into serious resistance from people she counted on to help pass the parcel tax ballot measure.
“People who voted for the RDA think it (a library) is a done deal,” Gregg said. “If we don’t have some kind of commitment for voters of Morgan Hill, they’ll defeat it (the parcel tax) because they don’t have a new library.”
Librarians have a slightly different point of view.
“I’m plenty steamed about the whole business,” said retired librarian Phyllis McLaughlin about having no library. To make matters worse, she said, the RDA has kept money that would have found its way into the county library operating fund. So, the library has been hit twice.
“I’ll be happy to work on the parcel tax,” McLaughlin said, “but the whole building thing can’t be put off any longer.”
Meanwhile, efforts to inform the voters about the need to pass the parcel tax will continue as will the building search. Tate has ideas.
“I’m very optimistic (that we’ll get a new library),” Tate said. “It’s going to happen.”
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