The Mercer Island City Council sent a letter to the King County Library System (KLCS) Board of Trustees on Nov. 4 asking KCLS not to proceed with entering into any construction or other related contracts for the renovation of the Island Library. The proposed remodel “lacks the requisite public support and must be reconsidered,” the letter states.
Concerns have been raised about plans for the children’s area, the need for a sprinkler system and other proposed changes. According to the letter, the Council is worried the “intensity of opposition” among the public, and about the lack of transparency of KCLS decisions.
“There was no explanation. There was just, no,” said Deputy Mayor Dan Grausz about Islanders’ recent requests.
According to the letter, the city was contacted by attorneys for KCLS, which stated the agency would sue if the city pursues the addition of a sprinkler system to the remodel plans.
Construction bidding for the library opened last week, though building permits were not approved by the city as of Monday afternoon, Nov. 10. Scott Greenberg, development services director, said the discussion is “down to the sprinkler issue.”
“We understand that Trustee Rob Spitzer’s motion to delay the project in order to determine whether sprinklers should be installed was withdrawn after your staff advised you of their intention to follow whatever direction they receive from the City on this issue. Less than 24 hours later, we received an email from KCLS outside legal counsel threatening to sue us if we required sprinklers,” according to the letter, signed by all seven Councilmembers.
Island resident Ira Appelman attended the bid opening at 1 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 4 at the KCLS Service Center. Ten general contractors bid, he said, and Westmark Construction was announced as the apparent low bid. Their bid was about $1.5 million, a little less than the engineer’s estimate of $1.6 million. The high bid was about $1.9 million.
Assistant City Manager Kirsten Taylor said the city received a response from KCLS on Nov. 6. The message, from KCLS Board President Jessica Bonebright, stated that the Mercer Island library project has been placed on the agenda for the Board’s Nov. 19 meeting, and that KCLS will not send out a final construction bid award letter until the meeting has been held.
Last month, the KCLS board voted 3-2 to go ahead with the plans as they currently stand, though Bonebright said she wanted to delay a decision until she heard a statement from the Council.
“I feel personally that if the Mercer Island government spoke in a clear voice about concerns about the plan, then that would be reason enough for us to take another look,” Bonebright said at the Board’s Oct. 29 meeting.
KCLS interim director Julie Acteson said decisions about what to do with the library are KCLS’s, not the citizens’ or the City Council’s.
“We’re at the point where we need to go ahead and renovate,” Acteson said. “The Mercer Island Library is part of the King County Library System. It doesn’t just serve Mercer Island residents. It serves residents across the entire county.”
Bryan Cairns, former Island mayor and head of the Mercer Island Library Board, said that discussions about the proposed remodel had reached an impasse. He said there are still “outstanding differences,” especially in regard to the children’s area, that need to be resolved.
In its letter, the Council requested that KCLS staff, city staff and the Mercer Island Library Board be directed to work together on developing a comprehensive outreach effort that provides complete information and solicits public input.
The Council also asked that a mutually acceptable mediator be brought in to try and facilitate a resolution.
Eighteen Islanders addressed the Council expressing opposition to the remodel at its meeting on Nov. 3, including many members of the Concerned Citizens for the Mercer Island Library.
Instead of issuing a specific statement earlier in the remodel process, the Council decided to work through a library committee and then a Library Board.
Both groups made progress, though citizens have lost faith in the process.
“I firmly believe that the process we adopted several months ago was the right one,” said Councilmember Benson Wong. “It takes two to tango. Sometimes KCLS has been a willing and fantastic dance partner, and other times, it feels like the community has been left standing alone on the dance floor.”
