Palmer council sticks with a larger library, rejecting effort to scale down design

Palmer’s city council voted 4-3 Tuesday night to stick with a new city library design larger than one being replaced after damage from a roof collapse. The question was whether to stick with a concept developed by Wolf Architecture, under contract to the city, for a building replacement estimated at about $18 million or the scale the building down to a smaller facility that would cost no more than $10 million.

A $10 million building would be about the size of the older library being replaced which many in the community feel was crowded when in use and too small for future growth.

However, some on the council felt the city should stick with the amount of money available from a voter-approved library bond issue, which was $10 million.

There was a sizeable turnout of people at the Tuesday night meeting speaking out for a larger library, which would include space for community meetings. In the end the council opted for that, but narrowly.

Voting for the larger library were council members Steve Carrington, who is also the mayor; Jim Cooper; Caroline Anzilotti and John Alcantra. Members favoring a smaller library were council members Richard Tudor, Pamela Melin and Richard Best.

The contingent favoring the smaller size were mainly concerned with the possibility that construction costs would be higher than expected and would exceed funds available, leaving the city stuck with more debt, city manager John Moosey said.

Beside the $10 million bond authorization, state Rep. DeLena Johnson had secured a state capital grant of $5 million last year. Funds from the insurance settlement for the collapsed roof will also be available, but the amount is still unknown, Moosey said.

The city has also applied for one of Sen. Lisa Murkowski’s designated community grants which Murkowski has been able to get for Alaskans though her position on the U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee, Moosey said.

While that is also not guaranteed it is highly likely given Murkowksi’s track record in delivered on community grants.

Fifteen million dollars of this is actually available: The $10 million debt authorization approved by Palmer voters and the $5 million state grant.However, for the three council members who opted for a more conservative stance there was a worry that construction would still cost more than expected.

In that context, sticking with a larger design is a bit of leap of faith that additional money can be raised. Generally, library funding campaigns are successful, however. Wasilla was successful in raising funds in the community to fund a new library, for example.

Meanwhile, no decision on the final design has been made, Moosey said. The council must still wrestle with that along with details of design elements like coloring and furnishings for the building.