At today’s work session of the County Council, the library board disclosed that it now wants to build a new headquarters facility at a 5 acre site on Beaglin Park Drive, between Route 50 and Old Ocean City Road, which is available at about $135,000 per acre. This decision was made despite Jim Ireton’s plea to the board to keep the main library facility in downtown Salisbury.
The board has also discussed an alternate site at the old Salisbury Mall, at the same price as the County has agreed to pay for a 5 acre parking lot – $300,000 per acre.
Apparently, the final call is up to County Exec. Rick Pollitt and, if he makes a recommendation, the County Council.
41 comments:
The site is next to Emmanuel Wesleyan Church on the Collector Road. At least this seems like a more reasonable price than the old mall crooks.
That's great, another empty building downtown.
insanity.
What a bunch of retards !
Will Rick Pollitt put the screws to Mayor Jim-beau?
Hate it! I live near there and travel the road to and from work everyday. I see a lot of accidents happening because of the blind curves on Beaglin Park Drive.
You heard it here first:
The Greater Salisbury Committee will threaten not to support Pollitt's reelection if he dumps on downtown Salisbury.
If Pollitt goes for this, he's a goner come November
Show me the money, honey!
I go to the library regularly and don't see anything wrong with the current building but if they must move it certainly seems more fiscally responsible to move a few miles further away to save that much per acre. The old Mall property is not worth that much. I wonder what their excuse will be if they decide they want to go that route. They just "had" to pay that much to get the additional parking for the Civic Center. This should be a good one.
If Pollitt plays ball with the library board, the "seven dwarfs" County Council won't say "No" to them.
Doesn't make sense to spend nearly 1 million (gonna be closer to 2 mil. to build it) to get a $375,000 grant.
You speak of another empty building downtown? Do you honestly think that someone, somewhere, doesn't have their eye on that property and has someone in the county government's ear?
Why not spend the money and build satellite libraries in eastern and western Wicomico County? Wouldn't that better serve the citizens? Oops, I threw a bit of logic in there, sorry.
This site sounds good to me. I would rather something on the north end, but it's a good fit at that location near Rt. 50 and with the collector road.
I enjoy going to the library downtown. I love going there partly because it IS downtown. A central location, with a downtown feel. Parking was fine. Accessible by car, bike, bus, or by walking. It's unfortunate to move a well placed public building to an outta the way place. That bites!
I am a library goer. I have to say I am very disappointed with the library board.
The city put out three very nice possibilities. The fourth would be to stay put and save us all some money.
It seems to me when the library board heard they could not have their first choice, they acted like children taking their ball and going home.
Smitty, do NOT be fooled by Mayor Ireton. He's a big spender, just like Barrie Tilghman was.
That being said, they WANT that Library for the new City Government Office Building and Rick Pollitt would enjoy nothing more than to have the City take a walk away from the current GOB.
The taxpayers of the City of Salisbury are being set up. Let's not forget, the City only has to sign an agreement to take 1/2 of the current and more modern GOB and pay $1.00, yes, that's right, $1.00 for 50% of the building. So the BIG question is, why hasn't the city signed the agreement?????
Because they want to relocate and screw the taxpayers, when they could have 1/2 of the current building for $1.00.
Gary Comegys was stupid enough to0 actually, (publicly) state they'd be better off with a new building and not have to pay maintainance fees on the current one. STUPID!
Splash some water on your face its a depression, wake-up,wake-up. How you dont spend anything, theres an idea.
there are plenty of city and/or county agencies that would be able to use a former library site such as would occur if they move.
How do we replace the members of the library board? FAST!
Much more convenient for me but another nail in the coffin of downtown Salisbury. I think it's really sad.
Tell me again why we need a new library. Seems like the one we have now is just fine.
We have some very mentally disturbed officials running this County. In this dismal and financially strapped County - and yet they not only buy an expensive parking lot . . .but now want to build a new library.
Like I said these are some really sick individuals.
Perhaps if they have a business that is ready to go into the library so the city can start making money off of the property? But no... it will be abandoned and will drain resources.
Wow Joe, I've been gone 8 years and I can still call 'em. Nothing happens in a town like SBY unless there's an ulterior motive. So, we're going to play the shell game, who's got the building?
I remember when the GOB was built, that was going to be the cure for some of the overlap in county/city government. Now, the tenants want a divorce and the library is a pawn in the process, except somewhere, the library directors probably stand to get something besides a new building.
How about we ditch the library board?
Ireton may be a big spender but nothing like Her Royal Highness Barrie. From stuff he said, I don't think Ireton has any interest in moving from the current building.
I see some big business honcho or two benefiting from this. That's how it always works in Smallsbarrie.
Ireton probably got had right along with the rest of us.
6:05, accidents from the blind curves? I travel this route often also and have never seen a crash. If there was, it wasn't from the curves, but from the ignorant drivers flying through crossing the centerlines.
6:45, what are you smoking? The city may have put out 4 nice possibilities, but they were only nice for the cities pocketbook. They were ridiculous prices, AND, the old library would transfer to the city. Talk about having your cake and eating it too. I am glad they aren't choosing downtown. Let the city eat their parking lots.
6:51, I am with you, we are in a friggin depression, we don't even have the money to fund our roads that are falling apart, and we are spending money on %#&@%# parking lots and buildings we don't need. (pardon my symbols)
I say the county starts charging the city a hefty rent for their use of the GOB. If the city doesn't want to pay, give them 30 days notice and let them move into tents on parking lot #1.
Disaster. Thanks for abandoning the city center, idiots. I'll never go to the library again, once they move.
Joe's comment is right on it.
People complain about paying city and county taxes, and duplication, etc.
The $1 GOB space is an effective "tax differential" compensation-- and you can be sure it's the only one the city will ever get from Wicomico County.
If they pull out of the GOB deal to take the library's old bldg (or any other one), they're throwing it away.
Intentionally.
And 6:06 hit it, too-- where will the Greater Salisbury Committee come down on this deal?
I can't believe so many Idiots are on here saying they'd like the new Library here or there. Idiots, You Can't Afford a new Library! You don't NEED a new Library. Not Downtown, not anywhere.
Mr. or Ms. 8:55:
The Greater Salisbury Committee should be renamed the Committee to Reelect Rick Pollitt (CREEP for short). It will tell Pollitt what to do & he will, just like always.
BTW - he has just appointed their president as the head of the Planning Commission.
Marvin Long & Mrs. Balavance do the same kind of work on the PAC 14 board. When is the county council going to shut this taxpayer abuse down?
I have to say that I'm not sure how I feel about this recommendation from the library board. I want more imformation before jumping to conclusions.
But I do know a few members of the library board and know them to be fair, level headed people.
I think those that are attacking the library board should stop. Have a fair debate about the issues, but stop the personal attacks against good people.
The Library Board ... another group who puts self-interest ahead of community-interest.
Way to go you self-absorbed dummies!
Who cares where Tom Hehman wants to put his memorial?
The Downtown is shot. The City doesn't give a d**n. The County couldn't care less.
Go to the mall or the soybean farm. It doesn't matter. Downtown Salisbury ain't going anywhere. No center; no soul. That's Salisbury.
we are eight million short on our current budget and all they know to do is spend, spend, spend. DUMB A$$ES. is the old library going to fall down or what
This is criminal activity. Who owns the land being purchased with our money?
Qui bono? Who benefits?
They still have libraries? I thought they were all calle Barnes and Noble now!
135,000 an acre...WTF. overpriced, don't you think? WHY do we need a new library anyhow? Or, put it in the middle of the new parking space for the civic center.
Joe -- You need to investigate this! One of the owners of the Beaglin Park property used to be president of the library board. The board is now telling the county that they need a decision fast, even if the project is several years away, and here's someone willing to sell the land to them quickly for close to a million dollars. How much insider information did this owner get when he was on the board? And how convenient that the board wants to buy from their old buddy when he hasn't been able to sell this land for several years.
I believe it was Scott Robertson that served on the library board and he is one of the owners of the land that the library wants to buy.
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