After receiving a letter from the Mercer Island City Council requesting that the library remodel be put on hold, the King County Library System (KCLS) Board of Trustees voted 3-2 to accept the city’s recommendations.

The vote means that the project will not move forward until more public input is solicited and a new library executive director is hired.

“In the vast majority of the communities where we’ve done library projects, everybody is thrilled and happy,” Jessica Bonebright, KCLS board president, said at the meeting on Nov. 19. “I’m hopeful that we might arrive at a similar place with Mercer Island, but I think the only hope for that is to do another pause.”

The proposed remodel, which would close the library for seven to 10 months, has faced widespread dissent from Islanders. The opposition has been led by a community group called the “Concerned Citizens.”

The group cited reservations about the plans for the children’s area location and bookshelf height, the meeting room and the proposed glass wall around it, the alteration of lighting by the skylight and the large cost, which was increased from $730,000 to $3.4 million.

The questions about design, cost and closure time eventually escalated to criticisms about KCLS’s public input process, as Islanders felt that they were not consulted in the plans to alter the features and character of their beloved building.

“There’s kind of a bigger issue at work now than exactly what size the shelves in the children’s area should be — the relationship of KCLS to its constituent communities,” said KCLS Trustee Rob Spitzer, who lives on the Island.

The city formed a library committee and then a Library Board to address concerns, but discussions between those groups and KCLS staff reached an impasse.

The letter signed by all seven city councilmembers said that proceeding with the library renovation as currently proposed lacks the requisite public support and must be reconsidered.

“Starting about a month ago the number of objections that we have received has increased into the hundreds with concerns expressed regarding not only the design but also the lack of transparency,” the Council letter states.

“Islanders have been one of the most KCLS-supportive communities,” it continues. “None of us want to see that support put at risk when there is still a chance to regain public confidence. We want your new director to be greeted by a supportive Mercer Island rather than a community in revolt.”

City Manager Noel Treat, with councilmembers Dan Grausz and Debbie Bertlin, went to the meeting to answer questions about the letter, which was sent to KCLS on Nov. 4.

“Proceeding with the renovation in its current form could unnecessarily place at risk the 23-year relationship that has existed between KCLS and Mercer Island,” Grausz said when addressing the board. “Two months ago, we would not have written you the letter that we did. Since then, however, we have been deluged by public anger.”

Bonebright said that though putting the project on hold could be costly, allowing more time for process is “worth it” if a more agreeable solution can be reached. She suggested developing a plan based on minimal changes to the library, which what many Islanders want.

About a dozen Islanders, including many Concerned Citizens, spoke in support of the temporary delay at the meeting. Nearly 40 people raised their hands when asked who in the audience supported the delay.

Spitzer said he was confident that whatever the KCLS Board decided to do, “the Concerned Citizens will make their voice heard.”

Bryan Cairns, chair of the Mercer Island Library Board, participated in the interview process for the new KCLS director. He said asked the three candidates what they would do in this situation, and they all responded that they would pause and reengage.

“Our hard work will begin anew with the advent of the new director,” said Concerned Citizens group leader Meg Lippert. “Tonight the Board voted unanimously to offer the position to Gary Wasdin.”

Wasdin was the executive director of the Omaha (Neb.) Public Library. The previous director, Bill Ptacek, resigned last year after 25 years at KCLS.

After taking a pause, KCLS and the Mercer Island Library Board, taking public input into consideration, will discuss and hopefully agree upon further changes. These discussions may be facilitated by a mediator if requested, according to the Council letter.

“We know this is a highly unusual request and one that we make as a last resort as we fully respect the authority and jurisdiction of other governments,” the Council letter states. “We need to work together to get this back on track and end up with what can and should be the physical foundation for decades of future cooperation and Islander support.”