נידער מיטן לייברערי, דורך גוים, אידן.

Residents reject $12.9M plan to build library, town offices

By Kristina Wells
Times Herald-Record
kwells@th-record.com

Monroe – Taxpayers yesterday shot down – by a nearly 4-1 ratio – a $12.9 million building project that would have housed a new library and government offices.
Village of Kiryas Joel residents voted 919-29 against the project. The rest of the town weighed in at 1,417 to 576 against it.
Marilyn McIntosh, director of the Monroe Free Library, was quick to blame the Hasidic community and the Monroe town supervisor, who opposed the project.
"Obviously, Kiryas Joel block-voted us … and the town supervisor (Sandy Leonard) coming out against it didn't help either," McIntosh said. "And we just didn't get out the yes votes."
The 40,000-square-foot, two-story building would have been built on town-owned property. An estimated two-thirds of the space would have been dedicated to the library, which is now cramped in 5,500 square feet. The remaining space would have housed Monroe town offices.
Two Monroe Town Board members helped plan the proposal and supported it. But others were dubious about the cost.
Leonard did not return calls for comment last night.
McIntosh vowed to try again.
"We'll go out again on our own, without the town," she said, minutes after hearing of the defeat. "As a separate project it's going to have a better chance. This town needs a library. That's the bottom line."

Photo News > News
Updated: Thursday, June 23, 2005
$12.9 million library/town hall bid defeated

By Jeanette McDowell



MONROE-If you talk to people in Monroe, few would argue there's a need for a new library and town hall.

Where you found the beef this week was in how much that should cost.

Voters defeated a $12.9 million bond issue that would have financed and furnished a proposed Town Hall/Library building on town property along Route 208. A total of 2,941 people voted, including 948 residents of Kiryas Joel. Townwide, 605 residents voted for the proposal; 2,336 against it. Kiryas Joel residents voted 29 for, 919 against the proposal. Only 18 percent of all registered voters came to the polls.

"I believe that if there had been greater voter turnout, the proportions would have remained about the same" said Town Supervisor Sandy Leonard, who forcefully opposed the proposal as too expensive.

The proposal's defeat marked the second time within a month that taxpayers in the area said "no" to public spending. Last month, residents in the Monroe-Woodbury School District rejected a $119.9 million budget for the 2005-06 school year by more than 500 voters. The district will operate under an austerity budget for the second time in three years.

The latent following that vote could be heard in conversations about the library/town hall referendum: Things, such as taxes, are getting increasingly expensive.


Library Director Marilyn McIntosh said she remains optimistic.

"I think that this was not a statement against the library," she said Wednesday afternoon. "The Library Planning Committee will be meeting next week to strategize. We're going to concentrate on getting a piece of property. We're talking with the town about possibilities, whether or not we can use that property, in whole or in part.

"I think a lot of people want it (the Library) to stay in the village but it's difficult because property is pretty much dried up in the village and parking is a part of the problem."

Denise Harris, president of the library's Board of Trustees, said the board remained committed to a new library. But in a letter appearing in today's Photo News, she noted: "The voters of Monroe have spoken loud and clear. You want the library as a solo project and in the village."

She also asked for the community's input and ideas.

Leonard said that the town will work with the library on an outcome that is best for all concerned. She said the town also would seek out grants to alleviate some of the costs.

"Whatever decision is made," she said, "the town board will move in a direction that makes sense for the town."

http://www.strausnews.com/articles/2005/06/23/photo_news/news/1.txt

Where have all the voters gone?

Judith Dise, who's retiring after 20 years as Monroe's town clerk, had something to say about Tuesday's vote on a proposed new library and Town Hall.
She noted that there are about 15,000 registered voters in the town and that only 2,841 people showed up Tuesday to cast a ballot.
"How pathetic is that?" Dise pondered.
The proposal was defeated by a nearly 4-1 ratio.

Message not heard
I read the TH-R article regarding the defeat of the new library and town offices in Monroe and felt a need to respond to the comments of the director of the library. I don't believe she heard the message being sent.
I believe that we need a new library in Monroe. I am willing to see my taxes increase to pay for the new library. I voted no. I am an avid reader. My child is a student at MWHS. We have both had to use other libraries because our library was lacking the resources we wanted.
But downtown Monroe is struggling. Businesses are closing. The library and the Town Hall are critical to the survival of downtown. It is the responsibility of the town to maintain a vibrant downtown area. The library should be in a location that is pedestrian friendly. The town should be focused on bringing life back to the center of town, not aiding in its demise. Build up if you have to, move into one of the other buildings downtown. Clean up the Goose Pond, encourage people to come downtown. The alternative is probably another dollar store.
I did not vote down a new library. I voted to keep the library downtown.
Sharon Green
Monroe