Library Board of Trustees

SPECIAL MEETING OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES MARY RILEY STYLES PUBLIC LIBRARY Held in the Mary Riley Styles Public Library 120 N. Virginia Avenue Falls Church, VA 22046 January 28, 2015 1. CALL TO ORDER Board Chair Brad Gernand called the special meeting to order at 7:00pm. The following Board members attended the meeting: Brad Gernand Chet DeLong Ed Rose Stephanie Oppenheimer Jeff Peterson Terry Zawacki Excused Absence: Don Camp, Jacob Bruner Also present were the Library Director Mary McMahon, and her assistant, Claudia Gutierrez and a Falls Church neighbor. 2. REVIEW AND DISCUSS PLANS FOR DISSEMINATING INFORMATION TO THE PUBLIC ABOUT THE LIBRARY'S RENOVATION/EXPANSION OPTIONS Before discussing the plans for the library's renovation/expansion public information campaign, Brad Gernand, the Board Chair, informed the Board that Councilman Dan Sze reached out to Vice Chair Chet DeLong and him to talk about the negotiations that have been going on between Council and the developer of the Mason Row project. The developer has suggested that the library could relocate to a 2 story area inside the Mason Row building with the entrance on Park Avenue. It would have utilities, access to 310 shared parking spaces, and 20,000 to 25,000 sq. ft. There are two financing options proposed for the City: purchasing the space at $495.00 per sq. ft. or leasing space at $32.50 per sq. ft.,- based on a lease that must last at least 20 years. The two Board members were also told that this Mason Row proposal is tentative, and not meant to derail the current library plans. They said they were told that there will be more information on the Mason Row project available by the Fall. Chet said that neither the City nor the Board should consider the lease option. Chet presented a cost summary comparing the proposal from the Mason Row developer and the current renovation /expansion project for the library. (A copy of that summary is attached to these Minutes.) A Board member asked if the loss of the land where the library is now located had been considered. Brad said he was told that Council has a strategy for the current building and the land, but the Council member was not able to say what that strategy is at this time. Board members stated that they were open to the possibility of moving the library to Mason Row, but that the library's needs must be made known and met. They also reiterated that library services should not be split in two locations. The Councilman mentioned that if the parking deck project next to the current library is not a done deal, than neither will the renovation/expansion project be. Chet said that the Councilman Sze said that the majority of Council members are not enthusiastic about the proposed expansion/renovation library project as it has been presented in the current CIP proposal. They are, however, more in favor of the Mason Row project because it will be a new building that will last at least 50 years, and the current site has no future for the library according to him.  Councilman Sze has asked the developer for a preliminary sketch of a library at Mason Row, and he will share it with the Board, perhaps as early as this coming weekend. According to him, it would be Class A space and would be on the ground floor and one floor up. He also said locating the library at the Mason Row project would have synergies for the library since it would be surrounded by retail stores, theater, etc. He also mentioned that this project is not very expensive considering it will permanently solve the library's issues, but that there is no estimated date for the Mason Row project completion. The Board then began consideration of the upcoming public presentation. The library Director thanked Board members for sending in their ideas for PowerPoint presentation. This presentation will take place at the Thursday night Special Board meeting on February 5, 2015 at 7 p.m. in the Community Center. She suggested that the Board must decide who will present it, and how the meeting will be structured. There are many people and organizations that have been invited for this open public meeting based on the list previously provided by the Board. The Board discussed all the information in the different slides from the presentation, made suggestions and several changes to it to emphasize more the need for additional space and renovation of the current building. One Board member suggested handing out a one page summary to patrons every time they check out a book, informing them of what the Board's goals are and asking for their support. Another Board member suggested creating a web page to support the library and collecting names of people who can help work on the referendum when it occurs. The Director said she did not feel that it could go on the library's current website, but that the Board could create its own website for such a project. The Director announced upcoming dates that are of importance to the library project: Monday, February 2, 2015, when there will be a meeting with the Planning Commission to ask that the expansion/renovation project be included in the FY16 CIP plan-that meeting will begin around 8:15p.m.; and, on Thursday, February 5, 2015, at 7 p.m. in the Community Center when the Board will present information to the public, City Boards and Commissions, and civic organizations about the proposed expansion/renovation plan. The City Manager and Assistant City Manager will also be present at that meeting. The Library Board Chair will present the PowerPoint information. The Board asked the Director to put the PowerPoint presentation on the library's website after the public meeting. 3. ADJOURNMENT There being no further business, upon a motion duly made and seconded, the Board of Trustees unanimously agreed to adjourn the meeting at 9:00p.m. Respectfully submitted, r~AJG~ tU.7/1/V: 71L~ Mary W. McMahon Library Director Approved: Bradley E. Gemand, Chair Copies: Board of Trustees, City Manager, Library Reference Desk, Staff Bulletin Board, City Clerk, City Council, Historical Commission, Library Web Page