Several years ago, County Council decided to move the library on James Island from its current Camp Road location to a new location somewhere on the Folly Road corridor. The planned new library was to be a bigger and better state of the art facility.
In 2014, the Town passed a resolution asking County Council to include on the library referendum a specific location for the new library, but also that the existing branch on Camp Road be renovated and remain open.
While there was consideration of several sites for the new library, including where O2 Fitness is located near Folly Road and the James Island Public Service District property on Dills Bluff Road, County Council chose the old Baxter Patrick School on Grimball Road.
Former County Councilman Qualey fought this decision, but he was unable to find enough votes on County Council. I believe that County Councilwoman Anna Johnson supported the Grimball Road site and lined up majority support.
County Councilman Qualey did win one victory. County Council approved a resolution stating that if there was any money left over after all of the other library construction and renovation projects were complete, then that extra money would be used to renovate the library branch on Camp Road. Unfortunately, there was nothing about the funds needed to operate the branch permanently or what would happen between the time the new branch opened and all of the library construction and renovation projects were complete.
At the time, I didn't think it mattered much because the chance that all of the other library construction and renovation projects would on net end up under budget rather than have cost overruns were slim to none. My view on that has not changed. Frankly, I think the majority of County Council felt the same which why some supporters of the Baxter Patrick site voted for the resolution backed by Qualey.
Last December, Town Councilman Troy Mullinax asked to place a new resolution regarding the library on the agenda. He included a statement that County Council had decided to close the branch on Camp Road when the Baxter Patrick branch was completed in June. The proposed resolution reiterated the Town's position from 2014--the existing branch should remain open. It added that, at the very least, the branch on Camp Road should remain open until all of the other projects were complete to see if there was money left for renovation.
I didn't think it was really necessary for Town Council to pass a new resolution when it added little to our longstanding position. I saw no reason to expect that anyone on County Council had changed their mind. On the other hand, I didn't see how it would do any harm to restate our position either.
Just before the December meeting, however, I was told that County Council had not decided to close the library branch on Camp Road. After I shared that, Councilman Mullinax asked to defer consideration of the resolution. There was no objection from Council.
It wasn't long after we learned that, as was expected all along, the Charleston County library system intended to close the branch on Camp Road when the new branch opened. While some materials and equipment will be moved, the most important shift will be staff. The librarians from the branch on Camp Road will become the librarians for the new Baxter Patrick branch when it opens. There will be no librarians available to staff the branch on Camp Road.
County Councilwoman Honeycutt tried to build support for keeping the Camp Road branch open, but there just were not enough votes on County Council. Very few were willing to reverse the decision they had made nearly four years ago. I told Councilwoman Honeycutt that some years ago, we had heard from County staff that it might be possible for the Town to lease the building after the library closed. However, I explained that the Town preferred having two libraries on James Island. We still wanted to keep the Camp Road branch open, though we were happy that a new modern branch was opening on Grimball Road. Councilwoman Honeycutt was not able to accomplish our first preference, but she was able to find majority support to lease the library building to the Town.
I believe she deserves thanks for actually accomplishing something for James Island.
Frankly, I fail to see how having a member of Council who rants and raves at the other members and fails to get a majority does anyone any good. It is very disheartening to have your representative explain that when you go before County Council it is better not to mention that you have their support because that will automatically turn the majority against you.
I am not sure why our activist community thought encouraging people to come to Town Council to plead to keep the library open would help. Town Council was not proposing to close the library branch. Town Council's position has remained the same for years--two libraries are better than one. I admit it bothers me when I read emails or hear public comments that seem to suggest that the Town is proposing to close the library or that Charleston County is obligated to obtain our permission. Anyway, the resolution passed unanimously.
While I doubt the pleas of James Island residents would be very effective in influencing County Council, especially the seven members who have no constituents on James Island, that is who is making the decision. I was surprised to hear that County Council voted to explore leasing the property to the Town the same night Town Council was considering its resolution. However, it is important to understand that Town Council has favored keeping the branch open since 2014. Its not like our position was a mystery to County Council.
The Town must now consider what we can do with the library building when it is closed. We are exploring a variety of options. I believe and hope that we can keep some level of library services at the Camp Road site. However, staffing a library at the existing level of service will be very challenging financially to the Town.
No comments:
Post a Comment