Council reviews new library proposal

FRASER — Plans for a new library building took another step forward April 9 when the City Council got a look at concept details and a funding proposal. 

Officials appeared generally supportive of the plan — which would involve tearing down part of the existing building and constructing a new addition — but wanted more assurance that the library could adequately repay the money it needs to finance the project.

In response, library representatives promised to get firmer financial details and revisit the issue with city officials, possibly as soon as next month.

The Fraser Public Library — which is governed by an elected six-member board — is seeking City Council support for a bond proposal tentatively pegged at $7.5 million. The money would be repaid over 15 years with funds from a 20-year millage voters approved in 2022.

“I want to make sure that all the citizens understand that getting this bond is not getting any more money from the citizens,” said Jim Sutherland, president of the library’s board of trustees. We will pay the bond back with the millage that was approved in 2022. None of this money is coming out of the city budget. It will all come out of the library budget.” 

Sutherland, along with library director Lorena McDowell and Griffin Angeliu of Farmington-based MCD Architects, presented officials with plans for a renovated 13,000-square-foot library that includes expanded public meeting and program space. It would preserve the historic school building that first housed the library more than 60 years ago but demolish the annex from a 1979 expansion.

Plans call for retaining the existing parking lot and adding outdoor youth program space.

Although the library was damaged and closed after a vehicle struck the building nearly three years ago, officials said the facility was already becoming obsolete and discussions for its future had begun. The library has operated out of a strip mall for the past 36 months.

Background material for the meeting said the library’s goal is returning to its original site and restoring and amplifying its offerings. According to an agenda document, “Fraser deserves an updated, well-sized, thriving permanent library facility with services and resources tailored to this unique city. In a renovated building, the library will continue to honor the community’s history and traditions, meet today’s needs and challenges, and provide a strong foundation for our future.”

The document states Fraser residents have been asking about the library returning to a permanent space, adding “It’s clear that the heart of our community has been displaced.”

“A refurbished facility means that the library can house its full collection, deliver a wider range of programming and events, update technology offerings, and more broadly support the entire Fraser community.”

 Despite the detailed plans and renderings library officials shared with council members, they still consider the plans a work in progress. 

“I would just like to again state that these are concepts,” Angeliu, the architectural designer said. “All of this is subject to change as we move through our schematic and design development and construction document process. None of this is really set in stone.” 

 

Financial questions

Mayor Michael Lesich said he “reverse-engineered” financial information provided by library officials and found concerns.

“What I looked at is, can you make the debt service?” he said. 

Lesich questioned certain financial forecasts and projections coming from library officials and was skeptical about the library’s ability to repay the bond and maintain library operations.

“To be perfectly serious, I'm not comfortable with what I'm seeing here in terms of the assumptions that were made,” he said. “I would like a better look at it.”

Likewise, Councilwoman Amy Baranski said, “The math has to make sense.”

Library representatives said they will firm up their financing framework and meet with attorneys specializing in municipal bond issuance before returning to City Council.

Beyond money matters, council members were receptive to the plans library officials presented.

“I really like the concept. I think it's very multifunctional for a lot of different things going forward and it looks nice,” Mayor Pro Tem Patrick O’Dell said. “It looks like the old library, but it is going to be completely modern. So, yes, let's get those numbers down, because I'm in favor to get this going. I want the residents to get their traditional library back.”

Councilman George-Michael Higgins said he liked plans for increasing the library’s size. The new building is proposed to be 13,000 square feet, nearly double the amount of space that was previously accessible to the public.

“I do think this is something we need to compete with other municipalities,” Higgins said. “A library is … a value add to the community.”

After the meeting, Sutherland, the library board president, said he appreciated the council’s interest and input about the library’s future plans.

“They gave us some good feedback,” he said. “So we'll be working on the feedback and bring it to them as soon as we can.” 

Call Staff Writer Gary Winkelman at (586) 498-1070.