Residents Speak Out at Marathon Meeting About the Proposed Library Renovation

It felt like the wind had finally changed direction at Village Hall on Tuesday night when the Board of Trustees held a special meeting to consider moving forward on a proposal for a major overhaul to Scarsdale Public Library. It was the first time in recent memory that a Village Board meeting was not dominated by an uncomfortable confrontation about the second revaluation that has all but prevented the Village Board from considering anything else for their entire term.

The lengthy conversation on Tuesday about the future of the library rallied hundreds of residents who crowded Village Hall, eager to express their views on a public/private partnership that would revamp the facility, create a community hub, make the building accessible to those with disabilities and upgrade facilities to reflect new trends in media usage. The $17.9 mm proposal calls for a $7.5 million capitol campaign with the balance funded by a $500,000 grant from New York State and a $9.9 million bond referendum from Scarsdale Village. Proponents note that the Village Board previously committed to spending $4.5 million for necessary infrastructure work to the aging building, and this additional spend would make the library the "intellectual and cultural hub of the Village for generations to come."

Introducing the discussion, Library Board President Terri Simon indicated a new library might be a cure for what ails the Village, saying, "...by bringing our library into the 21st century, we offer a positive, constructive path for Scarsdale to move forward from a challenging time, as a united community." She challenged the trustees to approve the funding and "leave a wonderful legacy for all of Scarsdale."

Library Director Elizabeth Bermel said that the committee had already raised $2mm and had commitments for another $1mm. She said that to date, all the plans and schematics were funded by contributions from donors and that they are optimistic that they can meet their fundraising target.

The Friends of the Scarsdale Library worked with Village personnel on the project and the Village Planner and Treasurer both made presentations to the group. Planner Elizabeth Marrinan said that there was adequate parking at the current library (110 spaces) to support the new building, in addition to adequate parking at Supply Field where a temporary library would be located during construction. Traffic experts analyzed traffic and found no anticipated impacts from the renovation.

Treasurer Mary Lou McClure reviewed the impact on Village finances of a proposed $9.9 million bond which would be repaid in 15 years. She did not anticipate that it would affect the Village's AAA bond rating, but warned about potential tax increases due to unfunded mandates for sanitary sewer replacements. The impact of the additional debt is estimated to be $137 per household per year, for 15 years.

During the discussion about finances, someone from the audience asked Terri Simon what would happen if the campaign failed to reach their fundraising goals. Simon said that "construction bid documents and plans will be done with design alternatives. We do not intend to come back for the taxpayers for more," (if they fail to raise the entire $7.5 million.)

Village Attorney Wayne Essanason explained the law as it relates to a vote on the bond referendum. If the Village Board decides to hold a general referendum and they adopt a resolution before January, the vote would need to take place before February 13, 2017. If the board adopts a resolution between January 1 and March 1, 2017, the vote on the referendum would take place during the general village election on March 21, 2017. The Board of Trustees can also approve the bond as a board, without calling for a general vote from residents.

During the course of the three and a half hour meeting, many residents spoke, both for and against the proposal. The meeting was recorded and you can watch it in its entirety here:

In short, Marian Green, Chair of the Council on People with Disabilities spoke about the importance of making the library handicapped accessible and compliant with provisions in the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Lisa Messinger supplied the board with a petition of the proposal with 600 signatures, which she said were "collected over a busy holiday weekend."

Mordechai Beizer did not find the estimate for operating the new library to be credible and believed that three more full time employees, at a total cost of $350,000- $400,000 a year might be needed. He feared a 30% increase in the annual budget of the library and also questioned why a café, outdoor reading deck, maker space and emergency generator were needed.

Library Director Beth Bermel explained personnel needs and said that only additional custodial staff would be required.

Felicia Block discussed, "wants" vs. "needs." She said the library would be an "investment in our community and our children," calling it "an extension of our schools and our homes." She said, "This is not just the want of a few, it is something that our entire Scarsdale family needs."

Jill Spielberg highlighted the importance of making the library accessible to those with special needs and said, "children deserve a library that is appropriate for this time.

Howard Blitman, a former trustee, asked that the project be done at "a price that makes sense." He said, "Yes we need a bathroom and an elevator," but "if we could save $3 to $4 million it would be more acceptable to the people of this village."

Mayra Kirkendall Rodriguez, who led the objection to the revaluation, said she had carefully analyzed the library report. She questioned whether there were contingencies in the budget for rising labor costs that could result if the government approves large infrastructure projects. She said, "no one can predict what will happen --- look at the tail risk. You are going to have a labor shortage." She suggested that President-elect Trump might deport undocumented immigrants resulting in a labor shortage. She also asked to see the formula used to project potential fundraising and asked how the Village could validate the construction estimates. She questioned why the Village had to be the "risk taker" in the public/private partnership.

Turning to the results of a recent survey by the Scarsdale Forum, Rodriguez suggested that the data showed that people were not informed about the library and did not think it needed to be renovated now. Scarsdale Forum VP M.L. Perlman came to the mike to correct Rodriguez saying that the purpose of the survey was to engage the public and that it had "high instances of bias" and was designed on an "amateur platform."   She said it indicated that the majority of respondents do support a renovation either "someday" or "immediately."

The Mayor responded saying that he believed that the Village's contribution would be conditional upon the library campaign meeting certain targets, but it was clear that those details had not yet been worked out.

Lynne Clark said that the library is a "vital resource," that must be expanded "to meet the needs of little people and older people." She added, "A beautiful library will be a beacon of light to draw people to Scarsdale," and asked the Trustees not to hold a general referendum.

Mary Beth Evans read a lengthy statement in support of the library renovation from the League of Women Voters of Scarsdale that praised the committee on their fact finding, analysis and process. The League did raise questions about what could happen if private funding was slower than anticipated and there were "shortfalls during construction." She said, "The League does not support putting this to a public referendum. It is within the authority of the Village Board to make this decision."

Carrie Moskowitz objected to the scope and the cost of the project saying we are "already a highly taxed community." She called the project, "scope creep," reflecting a lack of concern about spending other people's money."

Bob Berg told the Board they must decide which comes first, "the chicken or the egg." He called on the Board to agree whether or not the Village's funding commitment would be conditional on the library board raising the$7.5 million in contributions first.

Kathy Steves, a librarian who chairs the annual book sale, told the Board that the library needs an elevator, not a dumbwaiter, as well as another meeting space to be used when the Scott Room is being used to set up and run the book sale.

Preeti Singh said, "The Library Board has smart people who have done their due diligence, and know what we need. I trust them."

Harriet Sobol urged the Board to commit themselves to the bond, rather than hold a general referendum.

Former Mayor Carl Pforzheimer answered concerns about closing the library during the renovations, saying that the New York Public Library had just decided to close the main library on 40th Street and 5th avenue for nearly three years while it is renovated. He urged to the board to modernize the building and to "not be satisfied with patching a 40 year-old design."

Library Board member Diane Greenwald said the plans for the library "hit the sweet spot; and are not too flashy or over the top." She reminded the Trustees that 600 people had signed a petition to support the plan.

Dara Gruenberg, also an integral player on the library committee said, "Scarsdale has a long and revered history of service and giving back to our town through both volunteerism and investment in our resources. Therefore, it is incumbent upon us, as residents who carry the mantle of those who came before us and invested in Scarsdale, to leave this town better than we found it."

The outpouring of comments from the community heartened the Village Board of Trustees. Trustee Deb Pekarek said, "This meeting lifted my spirits." Carl Finger said "This was the most enjoyable meeting I have attended in quite some time" and added, "I got a sense of how important the library is to the community." Jane Veron said it was "an honor to work in this community," and expressed her appreciation for the diligent work of the committee.

As the meeting concluded, Mayor Jon Mark said that the Board would have a regular meeting on December 13, 2016 when the conversation would be continued.