To the Editor:

Last week, the Town Council asked a number of very

thoughtful, fiscally prudent questions with regard to the construction and

operating expenses of a new Johnston

public library. The Friends of the Mohr Public Library would like to highlight

and explain at least one major point that was virtually lost in the highly

charged atmosphere of that meeting. The success of the new library workshop on

Dec. 5 will depend on accurate, current and understandable facts and figures.

Here’s the deal. For the sake of argument, if architect

Thomas Lonardo determines and explains to the council that the current cost (or

more importantly, the estimated cost at the time of construction, in 2009-2010)

of building a new library is as much as $8.5 million, the property taxpayers of

Johnston should pay no more than $4 million to $5 million, plus interest (on

our share), over 20 years.

We ask that a representative of the Rhode Island Office

of Library and Information Services speak to the Town Council about the state’s

public library construction reimbursement program. OLIS will be able to explain

its space and construction requirements (meeting room, access issues, etc.)

that the town will need to meet in order to qualify for the state’s 40- to

50-percent share of the project. The state has waited for official town

commitment for two years to determine their probable contribution. Private

sources like the Champlin Foundation have also waited for years for town

approval to commit to a generous grant of up to 10 percent of the project.

We would like to give some friendly advice. Let’s please

invite Mr. Lonardo, OLIS and the Champlin Foundation to speak at the Dec. 5

workshop. Their input will be crucial in this decision-making process.

The Friends are excited to have Mayor Polisena’s

endorsement of the new library project as an important “investment” in the

town’s infrastructure. Only two months ago, at a Library Board of Trustees

meeting, the mayor said Johnston needs a new library now and that the town

should be able to afford one by the time it’s ready to be built. The town’s

task, going forward, will be to fully flesh out potential costs of the current

or any modified design. Then the debate will focus on the many benefits of a state-of-the-art

library in Johnston.

The question of operating costs is an ongoing challenge

for all municipal agencies and the library is no different. There are no easy

answers here, yet opportunities may be on the horizon. The mayor’s call for

energy efficiency at a new library may open some eyes to alternative and more

affordable solutions. (Certainly in the light of oncoming winter heating

bills.) Personnel costs are much too

involved to address in this letter, yet it is apparent that there is a growing

number of people looking to volunteer their time and talents to the library,

either as Friends or as interns. Then we must discuss possible sources of

revenue that could help the library sustain itself; but we will save that for

another day.

The Friends of the Mohr Public Library wish to thank Town

Council President Russo, Vice-President Manzi, and Council Members DeFeo,

Pitochelli and Wells for their due diligence, their commitment to fiscal

responsibility, their scheduling of the new library workshop and, hopefully, in

the end, for their support for a new public library for the people of

Johnston. 

Paul Ciccone,

Board of Directors

Friends of the Mohr Public Library