Big Meeting on Wednesday, March 9, 6 pm

The Park and Recreation District is holding a special public meeting to hear what the community has to say about raising the final funding for the new library.  The District is committed to raising the so-called "Gap Funding" (the $159,000 difference between our original goal and the current estimate of total construction and associated costs).

Those of us who organized the fundraising are endlessly grateful to everyone who has helped put that $540,000 in the bank.  There are over  a thousand of you, plus hundreds more who have contributed in other ways.  We thank you AND we need your help one more time: at this meeting.

There have, of course, always been a few people here who didn't support the new library.  But we need their numbers to be dwarfed at this meeting by the many who have shown in every way possible that this library is important to them, their families, and their community.  We need you to make sure that the Park and Recreation District Commissioners know that you expect them to move ahead, promptly and effectively, with the extra funding.

Below is a brief information sheet with an outline of the issues that the meeting will address.  If you want more detailed information, let me know (judywross@gmail.com) and I'll send you a 3-page sheet, or you can pick one up at the library on Tuesday or Wednesday.

The meeting is at 6 pm, Wednesday, March 9, at the Community Center. Looking forward to seeing you there.

--Judy Ross, for the Friends of the Point Roberts Library

GETTING THE NEW LIBRARY BUILT

Costs:

1. How much will it cost:             $699,000

2. How much do we have:            $540,000

3.  How much more do we need:  $159,000

Who raises that extra money?

The P.R. Park and Recreation District

How?

1.  By placing a direct tax levy or bond on the November ballot.

2.  A direct levy could be just for the new library or for the new library and for other Park District projects.

What does that mean to me as a taxpayer?

1. A levy would be apportioned over all taxable properties on the Point.  
2. It would be paid off in one year.
3. If there is a $159,000 levy/bond just for the library, the owner of a home/property assessed at $200,000 would pay a one-time additional $53 in property taxes.
4. If the levy included other P&R projects, the additional tax would be somewhat more.

Two options for construction timing:

1. We can wait until after a successful levy to get permits and to solicit bids for construction.  Construction could begin in early 2017 and finish by early 2018.
2. We can release the funds we have on hand to begin the permitting and bidding process now and “build to lockup” (complete all site/exterior/roofing/foundation/electrical and most mechanical work). The final interior work would be done after the levy is passed.  This means that the library could be finished by mid-year, 2017.  “Building to Lockup” means that we would keep the momentum going, that we would not have an additional year of inflation costs, that the library would be finished sooner, and that local contractors would have a better chance of being included in the interior work.