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LIBRARY BOARD FACILITIES & FUNDING COMMITTEES JOINT MEETING AUGUST 22, 2008 ATTENDEES: Nicki Broch, Dan Carter, Bill Cochran, Bruce McIntyre, Ann Miller, Shari Nault, Kim Olsen, Jim Peters, Dee Ann Redman, Jim Reno, Shoots Veis, Gene Wagner, Dave Ward, Steve Zier MEETING PURPOSE: 1. Report due to Library Board by January 31 – in order to accomplish that, we must 2. Create a dialogue between Facilities and Funding Committees WHAT DO WE KNOW TODAY? FACILITIES Population outgrowing single facility; need for multiple facilities Downtown facility under pressure to use site for bargaining chip for development Need approximately 100,000 sf usable & accessible; currently using 40,000 sf Conclusions: o Three branches needed to serve community; strategically, geographically located Committee endorsed central facility and two branches based on city configuration FUNDING Levy amounts for operations Need to know facility configurations for future funding needs 6 years of deficit spending; breaking close to even FY 08-09; budget holding steady Budget does not cover current needs for existing facility ISSUES Downtown facility is magnet for development Voter pushback over raising taxes Uncertainty with current location; library cannot move forward What is a library worth to a community? Who are our partners? Political good will for library exists BRAINSTORMING SESSION Another possible model: move downtown facility closer to Heights and have two facilities – West End and East Downtown Retrofitting current building / another existing building Leasing space FACILITY OPTIONS FUNDING CAPITAL OPERATIONS BUILD NEW Costs per square foot considerably less for new construction over remodeling Requires large assemblage of property in downtown, or between downtown & Metra Ownership vs. lease back RETROFIT 1. Current Library building a. Money from sale of building to purchase new location? b. What is the existing site worth? Appraiser price vs. developer’s assessment 2. Other existing buildings ---PAGE BREAK--- a. Lincoln Center has been mentioned b. Requirements: Very large – big footprint; good shape c. Buy or lease? Advantages of each LEASE Leasing – How does leasing impact potential traditional funding sources including bonds, levies, CP, etc? Partnerships like COT for downtown Look for developer to build library space DO NOTHING If property is sold, plan would be in place for developer to make Library whole Building continues to deteriorate Ask Council to put moratorium on development plans for area; ask property owners on block to discuss plans for future Options for reporting to Council Here’s our plan if you sell the building – reactive, but prepared Here’s what we want to do for the future delivery of library services – proactive DECISIONS & INFORMATION NEEDED Are we recommending moving? Who owns the existing building? What would happen with funds if sold? What drives decision: services, location, existing buildings? Who are our natural partners? Long range plans for MSU-B downtown Do we build a new building or use another existing building? Land acquisitions; accessibility o Size of facility 50K sf on two levels at most, ideally on one o Available, vacant, for sale, family-friendly location Existing buildings o Possibility for library use Present options to Council: Library building’s overhead infringing on services & budget Options for sale, lease of existing building Move Library into two locations, COT and into TIF area Leasing space from developer-owned building TIF funds to help build Library down the road a few years? TASK LIST Review Library’s Strategic Plan at http://ci.billings.mt.us/index.asp?nid=1022 Facilities Plan: 3 service points, 100,000 sf total, West, East, and Downtown/TIF o 25-year plan o Phased in over time in CIP ---PAGE BREAK--- o Development of partnerships as with COT Funding o Focus on upcoming COT funding issues o Planning for maintenance of current building as long as occupied – capital expenditures Current downtown facility o Decision to invest here or look at other arrangements o Use as part of proposal for future Combined ballot issue with property acquisition for Heights branch Reaction plan o Potential properties – Kim o Potential lands – Steve o Options for funding building vs. leasing – Dave o Review long term plans for MSU-B Downtown – Dan o Develop list of potential partners – Ann Committees meet in September; combined meeting in October Report to Council Statement of Need Background Information Description of each project Quantification based on size of building, not current costs