Boise City Council needs our input.
Library Staff and the Board of Trustees will meet with City Council on October 14th at Boise City Hall at 3:30 PM, and they’re looking for guidance from City Council to formulate and agree upon the library facilities plan.  This is an open meeting, however I understand public comments will not be taken during the meeting.
We do have an opportunity to share our concerns and propose solutions to City Council.  How you can provide feedback:
  1. Email citycouncil@cityofboise.org prior to 5 PM on Thursday, October 9th.  Messages received by this time will be included in a Friday memo to City Council members and in the meeting packet on October 14th.
    1. Include “(October 14th Library Working Session)” in the subject of the message.
  2. Or, send a message to a specific City Council member using the city’s contact page:
Thank you to all who shared thoughts and concerns with the Boise Library Board of Trustees prior to their September meeting.  I believe because of our engagement, and due to other concerns about the proposed facilities plan, library board members did not endorse the proposed facilities plan on September 10th!
Now is the time to share our concerns and solutions with City Council.  Here is the message I sent to City Council Members today:
Dear City Council Members,
Thank you for your service on behalf of the citizens of Boise.  Your responsibility is tremendous and requires countless hours.
For nearly two years, library staff have been working on a facilities plan to guide development of library facilities for the next 20 years.  On August 13th at the monthly library trustees meeting, the plan was presented.
 
The proposed plan calls for expansion of two existing library branches: Collister and Hillcrest, recommending they be upgraded to facilities that are 30,000 square feet.  Cost projections to build new standalone facilities for each were estimated between $31-$32 million.  The plan also calls for improvements to the main library at a later stage.
 
Also, despite a clear need (see the map below showing library coverage) and considerable advocacy and engagement, including:
  1. A petition presented to City Council in July 2023 with 835 signatures from Boise residents (which has now grown to 1,400).
  2. Feedback given through online surveys and in-person listening sessions, by many individuals advocating for a library branch in West Boise.
… no new library branch is included in the plan, including in the library desert in West Boise.
 
Library Trustee Board Members did not endorse the facilities plan upon review of the plan during the next board meeting (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UdQ4730lJNE), on September 10th.  I believe they did not endorse the plan for 3 reasons:
  1. Concerns that the plan does not include a branch for West Boise.
  2. Concerns over the projected cost of the buildings.
  3. Concerns over execution of the plan, requiring multiple city wide votes to approve library projects.
On October 14th a planned joint meeting with Library Staff, Board of Trustees Members, and City Council is scheduled to review the facilities plan.
 
To address the concerns of the Library Trustees (and I believe the public at large would have the same concerns), I ask that you request the plan be amended as follows:
  1. Include a library branch for West Boise.  Boise’s vision is to be a city for everyone.  Putting a library within equitable distance of citizens should therefore be obvious.
  2. The West Boise library branch should be priority #1 in this plan.
  3. Reduce the cost of each planned facility to be under 25 million.  This could be accomplished by:
    1. Reducing the size to match existing dedicated branch facilities (Cole & UStick and Bown Crossing are 16,000 square feet).
    2. Using a shared design instead of spending millions designing each facility.
    3. Request a design that allows for future expansion.  That way in the future the full 30,000 square foot facility could be realized.
Lowering the cost of library projects to under 25 million allows the city to be compliant with City Code Chapter 27, without a city-wide vote, and to execute the plan in a sound way.  I believe without acquiring land first, it’s not feasible to create a detailed facility design.  With 3 plots of land acquired of similar size, a common design could be created.  With a design in hand, private donors would be excited to make contributions.  Likely, to acquire all the funds to complete the projects, a levy would still be necessary.
 
Let’s make a library facility plan for a reasonable cost that citizens will be thrilled about!
 
Thank you for your consideration,
Mark Salisbury
Founder, Citizens for a Library in West Boise
 
P.S. I think you’ll find it worthwhile to listen to the discussion with City Cast Boise about the possibility of a library branch in West Boise:
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Current library “districts”:
Boise-Library-Districts---current.jpg
Library districts with the addition of a “Cloverdale” branch:
Boise-Library-Districts---with-Cloverdale-Library.jpg
For more information, see: