WARSAW — Leaders with the Warsaw Community Public Library will present their case to the Warsaw City Council on Monday in hopes of gaining their support for a $17 million bond needed for significant renovations.

The request comes amid uncertainty about government spending as state leaders try to implement property tax reform measures, and just days after a primary election in which opposition to a parking garage proposal became a hot issue.

[caption id="attachment_131147" align="alignright" width="440"] Warsaw Community Public Library staff and board members show their support for an upcoming Warsaw City Council Monday. From left are Barbara Beck, Cathi Zdenek, Tim Keyes, Chris Merrill, and Jill Beehler. News Now Warsaw photo by Dan Spalding.[/caption]

Library Board President Chris Merrill acknowledged that there are concerns out there as they prepare to make their pitch.

“Yeah, I agree that does seem to be the case. I think it's because there's a lot of uncertainty in what's going on at the state level, especially,” Merrill said Monday after a board meeting.

He and others contend there's a sense of urgency over the building's aging infrastructure. One of the most recent problems involved a burst pipe that flooded part of the building and caused extensive damage.

“If we don't do this now, there's a chance that things will get (beyond what) we can fix in the next few years. And that puts us into a territory where we can be underground for being shut down by the fire marshal, for accessibility, for all sorts of different things. And because the uncertainty is what it is, I think we just try to be positive about it, and get done what we can. And if things do go south, then we'll do the best we can,” he said.

Merrill points out that it's tough for libraries to set aside money for big expenses and that bond issues are the common path for such projects.

“Like I said, we're doing the best with what we have, but we're kind of at the end of what we can do with the money that we're allotted. So we've got to come and ask for the big bill. And we think it's worth it. We hope everyone agrees, right?”

One of the building's biggest problems is accessibility, in part because it relies heavily on service elevators and stairs. 

On Monday, an area resident, Dennis Crumbly, brought his 92-year-old mother to the library board meeting to highlight some accessibility issues inside and outside the building.

Much of the handicap access is difficult to use and out of date with current standards. The building relies heavily on stairs, and the elevators have a long history of malfunctioning.

He said he thinks even if they move forward with renovations, which include parking lot improvements, immediate upgrades in the parking lot are needed.

Crumbly said he plans to attend Monday's city council meeting.

The library board fully supports the renovation plan, but the city council holds the final decision.

Library officials will make their support to the city council at a meeting that starts at 7 p.m. Monday at the training center adjacent to the city police station.

[caption id="attachment_131148" align="aligncenter" width="680"] Dennis Crumbley, left, talks to library officials (Director Heather Barron and Board President Chris Merrill) about accessibility that his mother, Marlene Collins (seated), faces when visiting the library. News Now Warsaw photo by Dan Spalding.[/caption]

The post Warsaw library to make pitch for bond request to city council on Monday appeared first on News Now Warsaw.

WARSAW — The Warsaw Community Public Library took the first step toward approving a bond proposal to finance $17 million in renovations.

On Monday, the library board held the first of two hearings on the plan and heard from the architect and finance counsel about the details.

[caption id="attachment_121509" align="alignright" width="300"] A handicap ramp on the east side of the library has been in existence since renovations were made nearly 30 years ago to the building, but officials agree it is not ideal or easy to use for people with mobility issues. News Now Warsaw photo by Dan Spalding.[/caption]

Officials estimate 60 percent of the construction cost is needed to replace much of the building's aging internal guts — a wide range of infrastructure that includes the need for new heating and cooling, roofing, and electrical.

The last major renovation was nearly 30 years ago, and much of the machinery and controls have exceeded their lifetime expectancy.

Another large portion of the plan — estimated to be about 20 percent — will involve redesigning the main entrance for better access and safety.

The building's lack of adequate access for those in wheelchairs, and a beautiful but complicated entrance that includes a curving stairway and a small elevator — are two of the biggest sore points in the building's design.

The overall change would greatly improve wheelchair access and provide a straight sightline from the front desk to the entrance.

Another hearing is set for Nov. 17, and then the  Warsaw City Council will weigh in on the proposal.

The library tax rate would rise by about four dollars per month for homeowners with an average-sized house.

Payments on the project would be spread over 19 years, according to paperwork from Bakertilly.

The hearing attracted very few people, and nobody openly objected to the plan.

Chris Merrill, who chairs the library board, said it's been a long process with plenty to consider.

The board initially looked at building a new facility elsewhere, but there was a strong desire to keep it downtown at the existing Carnegie Library.

“And we've finally come to the point where we can start to (show) the public ... what we would like to do and then finally take it to the common council, to get financing. And then off we go,” Merrill said.

Library Director Heather Barron said the meeting in November is a good opportunity to understand aspects of the plan.

“It is open to the public for anyone who would like a better understanding of why we are seeking this,” Barron said. “Again, it’s infrastructure, accessibility and safety, which is why we need this renovation. It has also been 30 years. So it is definitely time.”

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