May 30, 2002
New library at a standstill
Aaron J. Latham / Staff
Steering committee members Anna Marie Patti, left, and Martha Cooper sit in the
vacant lot purchased by the county for the new library.
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County, city bickering over who will pay for opening book collection
By Megan Rutherford
ARIZONA DAILY STAR
City and county staffers seem to be passing the buck on funding for books for a new
Midtown library.
A library and learning center are planned for the southwest corner of East Fairmount
Street and North Catalina Avenue in Midtown on 1.7 acres the county bought in 2000 with
bond funding approved by voters in 1997.
The city and county jointly run the libraries in Tucson. The relationship is not always
a harmonious one, said Andrew Squire, an aide in Councilman Fred Ronstadt's office.
One sticking point is who should foot the bill for the opening collection of books and
other materials in the library. The price for the opening collection is about $500,000,
according to a letter from Patrick Corella, assistant library director for the city, to
the County Administrator's Office.
County Administrator Chuck Huckelberry said last week he believes it is the city's
responsibility to pay for the opening collection, based on what's happened when other
libraries funded by county bonds have opened.
Ronstadt said it is the county's responsibility.
"The county doesn't want to pay for things that they're obliged to pay,"
Ronstadt said.
The $2 million in county bond funds designated for the project can't be released until
both parties approve the intergovernmental agreement.
Ronstadt said last week that he has approached County Supervisors Ann Day and Richard
Elías to urge the project along.
The library will be built in conjunction with the Midtown Neighborhood Association's
learning center project, which received funding from the city via a Community Development
Block Grant made in 1997.
Members of the project steering committee hope to make the library the best children's
library in the city and provide space for other neighborhood programs such as computer and
bike clubs.
Martha Cooper, vice president of the Midtown Neighborhood Association, said she's
worried that some Community Development Block Grant money could be lost if the county and
city take much longer to reach an agreement.
"We have this inherent disagreement between the city and county on a lot of
things.
"They don't trust each other and we don't trust them," said Cooper.
The Midtown Library and Learning Center steering committee meets monthly at the Ward 6
office, 2205 E. Speedway, Cooper said.
For more information about the committee, call Squire at 791-4601.
* Contact reporter Megan Rutherford at 434-4073 or meganr@azstarnet.com. |
