By Dan Spalding
News Now Warsaw

WARSAW — A deciding vote by the Kosciusko County Council on financial plans behind building a new library in Syracuse was delayed Thursday over confusion about legal advertising and has now been rescheduled to June 11. 

But that didn't stop discussion of the topic, and led to a broader debate about another library project in Warsaw, as well as the proposed city-county parking garage proposed in Warsaw.

The subjects came up toward the end of Thursday's council meeting after Council President Tony Ciriello announced the delay.

Turkey Creek Township Public Library is seeking to use $7.3 million for the construction of a new library in Syracuse on land that was donated for $1 by the town.

Public scrutiny over new spending projects has surfaced over the plan in Syracuse, as well as a $17 million proposal to renovate the Warsaw Community Public Library, which will face a vote by the Warsaw City Council on Monday.

Kyle Tom, a businessman who previously ran for county council through a GOP caucus earlier this year, addressed county council on Thursday about what he called "the elephant in the room."

Thursday's meeting was attended by a larger-than-normal crowd after at least two Facebook pages urged people to attend.

Tom pointed out that the compounded interest associated with a bond issue spread over 20 years to finance the library projects would nearly double the entire project cost.

"It's an astronomical number that you guys should not be putting onto the taxpayers when we have a justice building over here that's literally falling down," Tom said, referring to Justice Building repairs that are ongoing and have not yet been calculated.

At one point, Tom criticized some of the top library staff salaries and suggested the money would be better used by law enforcement. 

Tom attended Monday's library board meeting in Warsaw.

“I love the library, I think it's a great asset to Kosciusko, but we need to figure out: Is it a need or a want?” Tom said. “When I walked through there, it was a want."

Meanwhile, County Councilman Dave Wolkins said he's had several people ask him why county council oversees a library project in Syracuse and Warsaw City Council has final say on renovations for the Warsaw library.

The former state lawmaker, who retired five years ago, recalled a state lawmaker in Huntington County who started pursuing a change in state law to establish oversight over library boards because he believed some boards were not reflecting the will of the people when it came to big spending projects that relied on bond financing, which generally result in property tax rate hikes.

Since library boards are appointed and not elected, Wolkins said they were not beholden to the public directly. The policy change took several years before it won approval, Wolkins said.

Wolkins was asked about the change in the policy after Thursday’s meeting.

“I think it's a great safeguard — absolutely … I mean, it's unfortunate there's always a few people that spoil it for everybody else," Wolkins said.

Warsaw City Council will consider whether to support Warsaw library renovations at a 7 p.m. Monday at the police department's training facility.

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