Mismanagement Threatens Library Renovation Déjà vu all over again” for renovating the Noe Valley/Sally Brunn Branch LibraryThe long history of delays and broken promises continues. Once again, mismanagement and secrecy at the San Francisco Public Library and Library Commission threatens the long-promised renovation of our local branch library. The taxpayers have voted to fund library renovation It’s been 17 years, since 1988, that Noe Valley has been waiting for funds voted by the taxpayers for library renovation to appear. Back in 1988 San Francisco voters approved bond funds (Prop A) to construct the Main Library and to renovate Branch Libraries. Between 1990 and 1998 five branches were renovated: Sunset, Presidio, Park, Mission and Chinatown, which was also expanded. Noe Valley was slated for inclusion in this first round of renovation. Many meetings were held with the community before the project came to an abrupt and complete halt, -- disappointing and frustrating the many Noe Valley citizens who had worked hard to get our local library renovated (see Paul Kantus. East/West of Castro for details on the cancellation of the NV/SB library renovation). Next, in 1994, Prop. E was passed to increase library hours and ensure stable funding for library operations. The New Main was opened in 1996. The Ocean View branch which opened in 2000 was the first library constructed in 30 years in San Francisco. But nothing for Noe Valley. Then In Nov 2000 voters passed Prop A, the Branch Library Improvement Program (BLIP), totaling $105.9 million. The bond money provides for renovating 19 branch libraries and replacement of four leased facilities by city owned branches and the construction of a new library in Mission Bay. On March 5, 2002 voters – frustrated by mis-spending of Bond money -- adopted Prop F which established a nine member Citizens General Obligation Bond Oversight Committee to inform the public concerning the expenditure of general obligation bonds, including providing fiscal oversight for the Branch Library Facilities Improvement Bond funded program. Committee members are appointed as follows: three members by the mayor, three by the Board of Supervisors, two by the Controller and one by the Civil grand Jury. The Noe Valley Community has been actively involved in planning for the Renovation Once Prop A was passed in Nov. 2000, Friends of Noe Valley (FoNV) created a Library Committee to create awareness and advocate for renovation of our branch library. This formation was critical, as the library renovation had been cancelled in mid-90's, after much neighborhood input and FoNV did not want to take the risk of further delays or cancellation. For two years, FoNV raised money by organizing Holiday Fundraisers for the NV/SB Library Renovation. The events were co-sponsored by two other neighborhood stakeholders in the renovation of our community library, East/West of Castro and The Noe Valley Merchants and Professionals Association. An architect known for renovating historically important structures has been selected and a renovation plan has been prepared and approved. In 2001 FoNV met with Susan Hildreth, City Librarian and her staff to advocate for Noe Valley being in the first wave of branch library renovations. FoNV also asked that an architectural firm (Carey and Co.) with a reputation for historic preservation be contracted for redesigning the NV/SB Branch library, which is categorized as an historic "Carnegie-era" building. These libraries are considered historically significant and the work to be done should follow the national standards suggested by the Dept. of the Interior Secretary (the Guidelines for Rehabilitation of Historic structures.) Happily, the BLIP committee agreed and Carey and Company were hired early in 2003 as architects for the renovation. In the winter of 2002, FoNV wrote a survey to assess the communities needs and expectations for the upgraded library, and helped field the survey to all Noe Valley residents. Over 500 responses were collected. The results were presented at a community meeting held in Sept. 2002 by Marilyn Smulyan, an independent consultant working with the SF Public Library. Carey and Co.’s redesign for the branch was well received by the Noe Valley community at several meetings held in 2003/04, with the final one being in May, 2004. The Branch Library Renovation Program (BLIP) has steadily reduced the promised appropriation – with no credible explanation and no end in sight. The initial budget for the renovation of the NV/SB Library was $5.1 M in 2001. It then went to $4.4M in 3/14/02. The reason for this reduction was (this is Marilyn Thompson, Program Manager for BLIP, explaining) “costs for moving, storage, management, administration, etc have to be pooled with other projects at a program-wide level. The cut across the board reduction to all projects is in order to create a reserve fund to cover any potential shortfall of state funding” The NV/SB Library was never earmarked for state funding, only the Richmond Branch was to get Prop 14 money. Which in 2002 was looking grim, so monies were taken from all branch library budgets. The last budget figure presented in 2004 was $4.0M. Again, Marilyn Thompson, stated that monies had to be set aside for contingency funds and for construction costs which may increase before actual construction begins. And now: another delay, another cutback Recently FoNV President, Debra Niemann contacted Marilyn Thompson, Program Manager for BLIP, to re-confirm the project start date and find out when the final interior design recommendations would be shown to the Noe Valley Community, she got the bad news. (The scheduled library close date has been pushed back repeatedly from Jan. 2005, then February, then April, then July...). Ms. Thompson informed Debra Niemann that she did not in fact know when the library would close and what they were going to do about the unanticipated +25% increase in construction costs. Marilyn mentioned that “digging into the ground to create the space required for an elevator was very costly and she was unsure what was going to happen next. And that they were just beginning to figure all this out” Frankly, this is hard to accept, given that a very experienced and professional architect was used; the architect understood the budget constraints, and defies belief that they wouldn’t have realized that it costs money to dig a hole in the ground. The entire renovation plan is now at risk. The NV/SB Library renovation is once again in jeopardy. The original plans approved by the community in May 2004 are at risk of not being built, in fact there is no scheduled start date for construction. This is the type of answer FoNV gets after four years of working on the renovation? After compromises made to meet the BLIP committee and managers contingency plans? After reducing a budget from 5.1 MM to $4.0 MM? Next Steps As a community we need to come together and let our D8 Supervisor, Bevan Dufty, the Mayor’s Office of Neighborhood Services, The Mayor’s Office, and members of the Library Commission know that the current situation is not acceptable under any circumstances. The citizens of Noe Valley have worked too hard, contributed too much, and compromised too many times on the timing and budget for our local library renovation. We have waited almost seventeen years for taxpayer-approved funds to be made available, so the library can be renovated. Please call Supervisor Bevan Dufty’s office and if you can’t get Bevan, ask to speak with Amanda. It’s important that all Noe Valley residents who are interested in the future of their library call as soon as you can and ask that immediate action be taken: We demand that the SF Public Library Branch Improvement Program and Library Commission renovate the NV/SB Branch Library as approved by both organizations and the Noe Valley community, in May 2004 and that a final meeting on the interior work be presented, a closing date established and a hard construction date met. In the meantime, FoNV, NV Merchants and Professional Group and East/West of Castro group are strategizing on the most effective means of making the Library Administration and Library Commission keep their promise to Noe Valley. Contact Information: D8 Supervisor Bevan Dufty 554-6968 Mayor’s Office of Neighborhood Services Joe Caruso 554-6110 Library Commission Meeting Public Forum Thursday, March 17th Go to www.sfpl.org for agenda and start time