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As if a $10,000,000.00 Fire Station and a $36,000,000.00 Zoo aren't enough, now the Library wants to join in because they want to be in the 21st Century?
It's never a matter of something being good enough! The City wants to fight tooth and nail over keeping the Library owned by the County in the City. Why? Who the "F" knows? Think about it. What additional business does the Library bring to the City? NOTHING! Why is the City participating in 1/2 of the cost to look into a new location for the COUNTY Library? If they move, LET THEM! That Library is doing absolutely NOTHING for businesses in the City Limits.
So their grand idea is, well, since we don't have what Rockville has, LET'S BUILD IT AND THEY WILL COME! How freaking stupid can they get? They should move the Library to the North end of the City and enhance the business already INVESTED in the City.
They should have bought the Old Mall, (I know, I'm a broken record) and created the additional shopping there and also relocated the City's GOB there as well and sold off for a reasonable price a portion of the land to the County for more Civic Center Parking! They could have even relocated the Zoo there to higher ground.
So ALL of you Taxpayers are getting BONED again because the Idiots Comegys, Smith, Shields and Tilghman once again have proven they don't know jack sh!t about how to run a business. That is, unless they're in the business of screwing the Taxpayers!
The Old Mall would have cost the City around $3,000,000.00, that's it. Hell, they could have received that back in a parking lot and the new Library location. Dee, Dee, Deeee!
More importantly, think about this for a minute. The desperately want to keep the Library in the City and create a NEW Town Center and SCREW everyone else invested into the Plaza area and Downtown. They will go into the business of competing with those freakin Taxpayers who have supported the City for all these years. Yes, even Bill Ahtes!
They want a 50,000 square foot Library and the one in Rockvill cost the highest taxed County in America $369,000,000.00!
Ladies & Gentlemen, YOU NEED TO GET THESE PEOPLE THE HELL OUT OF OFFICE! You know what, this isn't ROCKVILLE! People will NOT drive from the Western Shore to come to this Library! There's not been a Store created on this Earth that doesn't reside in Rockville. Why? Because there's a ton of money out there and it isn't here. Send the Mayor and the rest of them to live in Rockville and see if they could even afford the property taxes in one year. Heck, didn't some of them already experience Bankruptcy or foreclosure here ONCE?
Enough is enough! This is the Eastern Shore of Maryland and STOP forgetting where we come from!
26 comments:
You know, Joe. Sometimes I agree with you, sometimes I don't, but this time I found your post kind of depressing. A public library isn't about the business it draws into a city, it's about the education and literacy of a city.
Thinking the library is unimportant and "so what" is exactly the kind of mentality that's wrong with the Eastern Shore. It's why the kid behind the counter doesn't know that 1/4 pound is the same as 25%. It's why the area bookstores close. It's why this area has people who can't spell, depend on welfare and our taxes for their survival.
The library isn't about growing a town through bringing money in. It's about growing a town through teaching education, literacy, art, and so many other things.
Shame on you for saying we should just let the library go because "who cares"? I care and so should everyone else because otherwise, we're just on more town on the road to education and learning being unimportant--and hey, maybe that's why we have a City Council who can't balance a budget or their own checkbooks. Because that's the mentality that's fostered here.
I'm really disappointed in this post because it really illustrates this point:
This is the Eastern Shore of Maryland and STOP forgetting where we come from!
Where? The Eastern Shore where the library (and literacy) doesn't matter? Yeehaw. There's something to be proud of.
~Angie
"A public library isn't about the business it draws into a city, it's about the education and literacy of a city."
Do we not live in a College City? Do they NOT have a Library?
"Shame on you for saying we should just let the library go because "who cares"? "
I never said let it go! I said, are you nuts to think we should build a Town Center for some $369,000,000.00 based around a Library? I also said, move it to the North end of the City where they already have the businesses to support it in the concept they want.
Wh7y the hell should the Taxpayers foot the bill to recreate the wheel? A smart business person would say, what we have is good enough. However, if you want to improve upon it, do so at the North end.
I'll add, HAVE YOU SEE THE LIBRARY IN PITTSVILLE? QUIT THE BITCHING, respectfully.
Joe, I may be mistaken, but, even though the area universities have libraries, they are not "public" libraries as we know them. We, the public, can't just sign up for a library card and bring home books, can we?
As if a $10,000,000.00 Fire Station and a $36,000,000.00 Zoo aren't enough, now the Library wants to join in because they want to be in the 20th Century?
Is it too much to ask to bring Salisbury into the 21st century?
I'm not saying you're wrong. However, why would SU pay out all that money for a City Fire Truck?
They also don't pay any City Taxes. I'm sure the City could demand it if they wanted to.
More importantly. I am NOT saying they should close the current Library. In fact, keep it like it is. IF the COUNTY wants to build a new one and NOT the City, let them relocate it to where it makes sense, the North end of the City.
The CITY Taxpayers have been boned enough. Does that help any?
I'm with Angie on this one, for what it is worth. Not everything fits a pure business model, and even if we could, would we want to use business as a role model for everything? Witness Enron and Haliburton as exhibit A and B. There is something called the "greater good" that cannot be quantified or reduced to a profit margin, and libraries are there to serve the greater good. Of course, the plans for a new library should be reasonable, but I think the general idea of a a real town center with a modern library is great. I hasten to add that I do not think Comegys et al are competent to create such a thing. A library can be an inspiring place, a refuge from a dreary home life or a miserable job. I would much rather give my tax money for a library than for a mall.
Final Frontier
They should hire Peggy Bradford to be involved from beginning to end then. Id there's one person out there who has proven to do it right, she has done so.
My problem is, look at that freakin $10,000,000.00 Fire House! Y'all fell for their bullsh!t once, they know they can do it again. This time they're modeling a $369,000,000.00 Center and again, it will compete with those who have already invested into the Downtown area.
Let them get it right with the Plaza first. Then let's see if they're worthy of making such suggestions the next go around.
Speaking of the old Mall, who bought those junk (TIF) bonds that the City issued last year?
[this also added by mistake under the preceeding post]
How would a library on the north end of the city make sense for the poor kids in Camden, Newtown, and Delaware Ave. areas that can walk or bike to there now? The library is centrally located and should remain so.
LET ME SAY THIS ONE LAST TIME. DO NOT CLOSE THE LIBRARY DOWNTOWN, PERIOD! I serves a purpose, no one will argue that. However, creating a 21st Century Library Downtown is just stupid.
MONTGONERY COUNTY, MARYLAND
News Release
For Immediate Release: 11/29/2006
Montgomery County Executive Douglas M. Duncan today joined other public officials and community members in opening the County’s new $26 million, state-of-the-art library in downtown Rockville. The three-story, nearly 100,000-square- foot facility is the first to open as part of the Rockville Town Center project and will serve as an anchor for the new development.
Rockville, a five-square-mile city with about 57,000 residents, according to census figures for 2005, is about 30 minutes from the center of Washington on the Washington Metro, the rapid transit system in the city and suburbs in Maryland and Virginia.
Redundant government services are stupid, period. Why would we need two libraries? Its not like they're required for emergency reading response.
Oh, are you saying then that the Library Downtown isn't goo enough for you or anyone else then patron? Are you suggesting it's an absolute must that a new one be built?
I never asked for a new one, Joe. I said don't move it to the north end of town. By the way, it appears some commenters have posted figures that challenge your figure of $369,000,000?
I have used that library for as long as it has been there. Ut seems to be an adequate facility in its present state. With poor economic times why would anyone push a public works project ahead that will ultimately raise the tax burden on the working poor? Every time I enter that library the only thing busy about it is the FREE internet. After watching people over their shoulders the majority are just pleasure cruising not trying to find employment etc. The same goes for the GOB. It is an adequate facility that needs minor repairs. the powers that be need to stop squandering our money on useless projects.
I think most people want a change but do not know how to go about it. We keep electing people who talk the talk but show their colors once elected.I feel the frustration every day but as an individual do not have a clue where to start.
It is time for a taxpayer revolution to demand accountability. Any ideas where to start?
MA
Any notion of Salisbury emulating Rockville is absurd -- the median household income there is $82,600, compared to about $34,100 here (in 2005). No doubt the library board is the recipient of a lot of nonsense by the City, and we will be sorry if the board does not "JUST SAY NO" and set a goal of reasonable upgrading and modernization of an adequate facility.
Just look at what's become of the Zoo Commission's grand plan -- with a multi-million dollar cost -- that was being bragged about a few years ago. In the meantime that facility has gone to hell in a hand basket.
The Library is a great community asset, and it would be a real shame for it to become grist in Barrie's political mill when there is no real chance of reaching goals that are unrealistic and well beyond grasp.
I read this blog often but have never left a comment. I agree that the library should not be THE center of downtown but I do think it can bring a lot of traffic. The current library is available for meetings and a newer library may be more appealing for this. My business recently had a meeting there and we've had class reunion meetings there as well. This can bring people downtown. Also if the library had a nice outdoor area, maybe a play area, downtown could be a day long trip for families; check out books, participate in story time, play outside, eat lunch. The library holds classes as well. When I recently visited their website I was so surprise as to all they do for the community. Whenever I visit there is rarely a computer empty. I'm grateful that we have such a nice library. We all aspire to improve and the library staff, I'm sure, is not exempt. I, for one, am glad that they have not stopped trying to better themselves in order to help better our community.
If the Downtown Plaza was booming and this Mayor had revitalized that area, I'd be all for this Concept.
However, WHY on God's Green Earth would anyone want to spend millions upon millions of dollars rebuilding an already proven failing Downtown?
Does Barrie and or everyone else believe this concept would actually fly based on a Library being the main hub? I most certainly do not believe that.
I'm all for a 21st Centure Library. I just don't believe it should be Downtown, unless they renovate the building they're currently in and I'll add, I don't believe the Director is forcing anything down anyone's throat. He's in the business of having the very best product he can provide and he's done a very fine job with what he has to work with.
Could it just be another ploy to have a building named after the mayor?
I have an idea, name the toilet stations at the zoo after her.
I'm all for leaving the library right where it is. New is always nice but not always necessary. There is more than ample parking at its current location. I see no reason why their Board of Directors cannot investigate putting their money into the current infrastructure and see what they come up with. I just can see a move elswhere being necessary. They could remain on S Division St and place additional sattalite (sp?) facilities in other municipalitys. While a business is all about location, location, location it make no sence to move.
Who owns the library building? Is it a county owned building within the city or is it a city owned building leased by the county? This is not about a new library or a new town center, this is about that witch sitting over there taking up space at the GOB.
Tell Barrie she can NOT have a city hall or any other public building named after her. Maybe in BFE they'll put her name on a building but it's not going to happen in Salisbury, Maryland. Well, maybe it will happen...when HELL FREEZES OVER.
How lovely for the Tilghman administration to have another morally upright cause to muster community outrage against the fiscally responsible and practical persons that questioned overbudgeting of money for the zoo, and now the library. Oh the poor poor animals will be thrust out into the streets! Oh the poor little kids won't be able to get to the library! Where are all those green shirted zealots now when the zoo is crumbling?
I say build a new one, because I am tired of pushing through the drug pushers, and the bums taking smoked cigarettes out of the ashtray. I am creeped out every time I have to walk to the door. It's like walking the green mile. I have had just about enough of the shit that goes on ouside that library. Vic does patrol it, and does what he can do, but he can't be there every minute. I get creeped out thinking about it. I am asked every time I walk to the door, if I have a smoke or money. I say improve at in the North End!!!
Anonymous 12:50
I no longer live in Wicomico so I have no say in the library matter but the last time I was there-3 years ago-I experienced exactly what you described!Street people were picking butts out of cans,asking for money and to my horror,there was a man sitting on one of the benches rocking back and forth muttering"bitch bitch bitch" repetetively under his breath-VERY disturbing.The library seems to attract alot of that.
Did it cross your mind that perhaps he was mentally ill?
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