Proposed agenda item for Salem Library Advisory Board meeting on Wednesday, 12 February at 5:30 in the Heritage Room in downtown library.
MOVED: Add an agenda item to discuss pros and cons of considering and evaluating suitability of the existing main library as a possible alternative new police headquarters (after seismic retrofit), with the main library and support functions being disbursed across the city into existing unused or underused commercial structures, with the goal of saving money for city residents and providing as many city residents as possible with a branch library within walking and biking distance of their residences.
Want to Achieve: Discussion aimed at identifying if there is any reason that such an alternative could not be chosen and, if there is no such barrier, invite council to direct City Staff to prepare a report for council and LAB consideration that estimates the 20-year costs of the alternative so that those costs can be compared with the proposed bond being discussed.
The Library Advisory Board meetings are open to the public and there is an opportunity for public comment in the meeting.
Given the number of vacant or underused buildings in Salem, we could have branches in North, Northeast, downtown (that big building at Liberty and Chemeketa comes to mind), Near South and far South, in addition to West Salem.
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