Proposal would aid funding for new library branch

Lisa Snedeker

Friday, Jan. 29, 1999 | 11:48 a.m.

The proposed northwest branch of the North Las Vegas Library District may become a reality with a helping hand from Clark County.

Mayor Michael Montandon, who also is a library board trustee, told members of the board this week that he and Commissioner Yvonne Atkinson Gates, along with their respective financial staffs, have been working on a proposal that would give the district a total of $5 million toward construction costs of the proposed $6.1 million facility.

The total cost estimate, including furnishings and books, is $10 million.

Atkinson Gates said she is proposing that $3 million of the county's capital fund be used for construction of the branch library near the southwest corner of Alexander Road and Martin Luther King Boulevard.

"I had heard that section of the community, and North Las Vegas in general, really needed some help in building a library," she said.

The community currently has only one library to serve more than 100,000 residents.

In light of the county's proposed funding, the library board unanimously approved a revision of its draft bill request to the Legislature for construction funds. Instead of $7 million, the district is asking for $1.65 million.

Atkinson Gates explained that the county can pay cash for projects out of its capital fund.

"This really saves taxpayers a lot of money (as opposed to a bond issue)," she said, adding another reason she wanted to help the district was she knew it did not have the financial resources to build the much-needed facility.

The library district, which is subsidized by the city, will be responsible for paying the county back the remaining $2 million, Montandon said. As the agreement now stands, the city would shell out $260,000 a year for 10 years to repay the loan.

When Montandon told Atkinson Gates that 4.4 acres had been donated to the North Las Vegas Library District for a northwest branch, she said they began talking about working jointly to fund the project.

The area of the county that she represents includes the West Las Vegas Library, which she said is heavily utilized by North Las Vegas residents.

"There is a tremendous amount of strain on that library. This would be a great benefit for our residents," she said, adding that a portion of her district also includes North Las Vegas.

She said once the agreement is drafted, it will go to the County Commission for consideration.

Nothing precludes the county from helping the valley's cities -- or their library districts -- on projects, Atkinson Gates said.

"They (library district) indicated they needed $5 million, so I said I would go to my board and try to help the citizens in that area of town," she said. "It is growing a lot and we need library facilities. Our focus is to do what we can do to help citizens in providing services and this was the perfect service to provide."

The library district was given $350,000 by the 1997 Legislature to design the branch library, but Atkinson Gates said it was not enough.

Craig Galati, of Lucchesi, Galati Architects and the project designer, said the firm needs approximately $300,000 to complete construction drawings for the 43,500-square-foot facility.

Atkinson Gates said the county is not going to allocate the $3 million at one time. Instead it will give the district the funds once plans are completed and construction has begun.

The library board has accepted a conceptual design for the proposed facility, Galati said.

"Now we are waiting for staff to give us notice to proceed beyond the next phase of design," he said.

Estimates provided by the financial consultant hired by the architects show the district needs another $4 million for furnishings, books and operating costs to open the northwest branch.

Annual operating costs, for which the library district is responsible, are estimated at $800,000.

"The board directed us to do more research on foundation and private-sector money to find out what would be available for the project," Galati said. "They don't want to go with a tax if they don't have to."

North Las Vegas residents, who pay the highest property taxes in the valley, turned down a proposed $7.5-million bond issue in 1995 for a new library.

City Councilwoman Paula Brown, who also is chairwoman of the library board, said the consensus in the community is "no more taxes."

Montandon, however, said he did not want to slam the door on a possible bond issue as a last resort.

Depending on funding sources, construction bids should go out in the first quarter of 2000, with completion slated for 2001, Galati said.