LIBRARY BUILDING PROJECT

a. The current building was originally constructed as a restaurant that opened in the 1970s.

1. Purchased by the Library and opened in 1983
2. Underwent a major renovation in 1988
3. Expanded and remodeled facility opened in 1995
4. Additional renovation in 2005 to maximize usage of available space.
5. It’s now been 27 years since the last expansion, and we are bursting at the seams.
6. Since 2010, the population of San Juan Island has increased by 22.7%. 

b. Heavy and constant use since the last renovation in 2005 means that maintenance and repair costs will only continue to rise. These costs come out of the annual operating budget and could negatively affect funds available for services, collections, and staff.

c. Aging infrastructure limits our technical capacity to support all user and staff needs.

d. We are unable to provide sufficient work stations and outlets in quiet areas for individuals using computers—their own, or the Library’s.

e. There is inadequate space for children’s materials and activities, and for teen users.

f. There is no space for additional books and other materials. Offering something new means that something we currently offer has to be cut.

g. We cannot meet the demands for meeting room space for public meetings, nor to host all Library programs, many of which have to be held offsite.

h. There are no spaces for individuals or small groups to meet for quiet collaboration or privacy.

i. The Library is noisy due to the necessary proximity of public service areas to work, study, and reading spaces, and to there being no effective separation between children’s, teen, and adult areas.

j. Staff areas are crowded and inadequate to efficiently complete work assignments, process books and other media, and prepare programs for children, teens, and adults.

k. Parking is inadequate and often difficult to access safely.

a. An expansion into the parking lot is not an option as parking space is already inadequate.

b. The building does not have the strength capacity for the addition of a second floor. Another story would also require more parking by regulation, but parking is at maximum capacity and inadequate as it is.

a. Long term costs for maintenance of the current facility will only increase over time, and eventually code related changes will force renovations onto a facility that is not sized for the community anymore.

b. Costs to renovate the existing facility would, per square foot, be higher than would likely be palatable and would wed the Library to the current building limits, as the current site is already not compliant with fire code.

a. Increasing maintenance and repair costs for the aging building may have a substantial impact on the yearly operating budget which is limited by law to an annual growth of no more than 1%.

b. If more money is needed for upkeep of the building, less money is available for materials (books, DVDs, audiobooks, equipment, databases and other digital resources) and programs for children and adults.

c. Professional staff hours may need to be reduced, lessening productivity and activities necessary for public services such as interlibrary loan, the development, organization, and maintenance of the Library’s collections of books and other media, cooperation with other community organizations and agencies, public services such as instruction and other assistance with new technologies, and open hours may need to be reduced, etc.

a. At today’s costs for construction materials and services, the new Library will be approximately 15,000 sq ft., around 50% bigger than the current facility.

b. But . . . in addition to a larger building, on the new site will be space for increased and much improved parking, plus outdoor green space to hold Library programs and activities, space for public enjoyment, and room to grow in the future.

a. An energy efficient, functional, user-friendly building designed to be a 21st century Library

b. Minimal need for expensive building repairs and replacements, a concern both now and into the future for the current Library building

c. The technology infrastructure to support the growing demand for public availability of computer use support services

d. The ability to meet the evolving needs of a growing population with expanded services both traditional and innovative

e. Well-equipped large and small meeting spaces, a recognized community need

f. Ample, flexible spaces for children’s, teen’s, and adult materials and activities, considered by the community to be core Library services and severely restricted in the current building

g. Enough space for seating in quiet areas for reading and study (not now available in the Library or elsewhere in the community, and a need frequently expressed by users)

h. Adequate, safely accessible parking, an ongoing problem at the current facility

i. Outdoor spaces for Library programming and use; currently outdoor programming must be done off-site

j. New technologies and services

k. Ample staff workspace designed for efficiency and productivity

a. The new location is closer to the middle of town.

b. Students can easily walk from public and private schools.

c. The Mullis Senior Center and Village at the Harbor will be close by.

d. Being on the main road through town leads to easier access for more people.

e. Instead of 2/3 of an acre currently, the Library will have 2 ½ acres with space for activities, extra parking, and room for growth.

a. The total project is estimated to cost $20,000,000. An updated estimate by a construction management team lists construction costs at approximately $14,500,000, including FF&E. A 2020 non-taxpayer bond for $2,075,000 to purchase the property will be retired. Architecture and construction management costs are estimated to fill the remainder of the budget amount.

a. A new library building must meet current building codes for public facilities, including ADA accessibility, and must pay prevailing wages for construction following state law. Public construction is simply more expensive than private construction, even private commercial construction.

b. The project needs to meet LEED Silver standards to meet the requirements of a state grant.

c. There have been significant increases to costs within categories that include metals, concrete, copper, and lumber, and in some cases, labor. The pandemic and downstream effects of the war in the Ukraine have caused significant inflation to many aspects of construction.

d. Although that inflation may ease between now and the time construction begins, it is unlikely that costs will go back down significantly.

e. If we wait, it’s only going to get more expensive.

a. In order to have funds for property acquisition, architectural services, construction, equipment and furnishings for the new Library facility, resources will be sought through:

1. Contributions from private donors and foundations.
2. Grants from government and private entities that fund library construction projects.
3. A bond issue that would be approved by the voters; for a bond to be passed, it is necessary that 40% of voters from the previous general election vote and that 60% of those individuals vote “yes” on the bond issue.

a. The regular tax levy funds the Library’s annual budget. This is an operating budget based on anticipated income primarily from a tax levy collected twice a year by the County. It does not include funding for large capital projects such as construction, site acquisition, etc. necessary for the creation of a new Library facility. By law, this budget may increase by no more than 1% each year. This would continue to be true in a new facility. The Library does not have a reserve fund dedicated to capital projects.

a. The total tax increase per property is calculated by taking the total bond amount and dividing it by the total assessed value of land on San Juan Island. Each property owner is then allocated a “cost per thousand dollars” of assessed value. This means that properties with higher assessed values pay more than properties with lower assessed values. Note that the total bond does not change over time. In fact, as more properties are added to the total assessed value of land on San Juan, the allocated tax amount per thousand decreases.

b. A hypothetical example is as follows:

1. For a $12,000,000 of general obligations bonds with a maximum term of 21 years.
2. The annual cost to a taxpayer owning a:

i. $250,000 home is approximately $44 per year.
ii. $500,000 home is approximately $88 per year.
iii. $750,000 home is approximately $132 per year.
iv. $1,000,000 home is approximately $176 per year.