Jeannette Clark

President Jeannette Clark called the regular meeting of the Dixon Library Commission to order at 7:04 p.m.

ROLL CALL

MEMBERSSTAFFPUBLIC

Jeannette Clark
...
Roberta Lee moved, Jeannette Clark seconded and the motion carried to approve the expenditure report for FY 02/03 dated 2 November in the amount of $30,486.19.
...
Jeannette Clark, President

Noll & Tam Architects, a Berkeley firm hired to perform a 20-year facilities study, will unveil three plans, two of which will keep the Carnegie Library at its historic North Street Location, said Jeanette Clark, Dixon Public Library commissioner.

The two choices to retain the Carnegie and still meet the needs of the growing community both include the library's renovation and expansion and a satellite facility.

The third choice would be to abandon downtown and build a whole new facility elsewhere, Clark said.

The first of the public meetings, both to be televised on a local access channel, will be held at 7 p.m. Thursday in the Dixon Unified School District board room, 180 S. First St. The second meeting will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday at the library, 230 N. First St. Estimates as to the cost of Noll & Tam's three plans are to be made known at these meetings.

"These are meetings to present the finished studies," Clark said."And then we, as a community, need to make some decisions."

Library commissioners have been working on the development of a 20-year plan for more than a year, grappling with land constraints, renovation expenses and potential funding obstacles related to expansion.Numerous public meetings have revealed a strong public sentiment that the Carnegie can be preserved.

...
But that depends on the outcome of the bond initiative on the Nov. 5 ballot for a new high school, Clark said.

Dixon voters will be asked to approve Measure J, a $29.2 million general obligation bond initiative that, if successful, would partially fund the new high school.

"If the school bond passes, we have much better options," Clark said."But no matter what we do, it is going to be costly."

Commissioners are working on applying for Proposition 14 funds to pay partially for expansion and renovation.Proposition 14 was passed by California voters in 2000 and provides cities with funds for libraries.

Dixon Public Library is a school district library formed around 1912, when the Carnegie Library was built.
...
The school trustees ultimately have the authority for building, land acquisition and approval of the budget, Clark said.

Library Commissioner Jeannette Clark said moving library services from the present downtown location at 230 N. First St. - particularly from the old Carnegie Library - is not a popular idea around town, but the option is being weighed as commissioners work through a 20-year facilities master plan.

"There are advantages and disadvantages," Clark said."It's just a really a new idea to knock around.We're not discounting that, we're not accepting that.It's now in the mix where it hasn't been before."

Commissioners will consider what would become of the library if a joint facility is built.

...
Clark said on a personal level, she would like to see the library stay downtown, but as a commissioner, she doesn't know if that would make economic sense.

"My vote in the long run is going to be what's possible and financially reasonable for the community," Clark said.

Dixon Public Library is a school district library.It is governed by the Dixon Unified School District, who also are trustees of the Dixon Unified School District governing board.

Commissioner Jeannette Clark said Wednesday that while she believes keeping the commission intact is the right thing to do, she would resign if asked to do so by trustees.

Library Commissioner Jeannette Clark was among several at Thursday's meeting who cautioned trustees on disbanding the commission.

Clark said that following the August retirement of district librarian Marilyn Costamagna, commissioners worked in the library every other day to assist staff.
...
"It's a real burden that you need to think about," Clark said.

Commissioners of the Dixon Public Library will meet with members of the Dixon City Council and trustees of the Dixon Unified School District sitting as library trustees to essentially deal with obstacles commissioners face over expansion of library services, said commissioner Jeannette Clark.

The meetings will serve to improve coordination of goals as commissioners continue work on a 20-year facilities master plan, as well as bring the city into the decision-making process.

"We've just been working in isolation, and it's good to have coordination, finally," Clark said."What we do with the building, the city is very interested in.They don't want to have an abandoned building there."

...
Clark said the library could receive 65 percent funding from the state, but the city would be required to come up with 35 percent matching funds.

"It's an expensive process," she said.

They expect to make a decision on Prop.14 funding in October.And there are other options, she said.

"We can keep the status quo, use only the library's money, and be OK," Clark said."But we're stuck with what we have."

Commissioner Jeannette Clark said residents' ideas of what they want are critical now as the commission moves closer to developing a vision for the library.

"How are we going to make this library more integral to the community?"Clark asked."What kinds of things will we do?What do we want at the library?Do we want a cyber cafe, a homework center?This really needs to be a conversation about everything that is possible."

A cyber-cafe/bookstore, homework center, film viewing room and community center are a few of the ideas commissioners came up with during a recent meeting with Noll & Tam Architects hired to do the master plan.
...
While the primary purpose of the meeting is to get public support for expansion of the library, input on the library remaining at its historic downtown location is another reason for the meeting, Clark said.

"People who really want to keep the library downtown need to come and be vocal," she said."Part of the brainstorming would be what could we do with this library if it were not a library?"

Commissioners are considering a joint venture with the school district to build a new library facility that would be constructed adjacent to a new high school that is called for by 2007 in the facilities master plan of the Dixon Unified School District.

School trustees on Thursday approved a $29.2 million school bond initiative for the November ballot for a $52 million high school.District trustees are exploring partnership options with the city, and now with the library, to help fund a full-facilities high school.
...
Library commissioners will meet with district trustees on July 25 to discuss the future of the library, Clark said.

Dixon Library Commissioner Jeannette Clark said costs associated with a proposed remodeling would be "very expensive," but that commissioners will continue to focus on the library remaining downtown and building an addition to accommodate future growth.The commission has already approached owners of properties neighboring the library for expansion options, Clark said.

"We do not plan to leave this location unless this location is totally unfeasible," said Clark."We've talked to all of the landlords that surround the library.We need to know if we're landlocked here, or we have room to move."

Findings and recommendations in the report range from replacing outdated light fixtures to replacing the concrete floor of the original Carnegie Library basement section - now closed to the public - and restoring it to full use.

The portion of the library open to the public is about 6,000 square feet.

"I'd hate to see something when an adult who wants to research something would have to go to the high school," said Library Commissioner Jeannette Clark.

Dixon Library Commissioner Jeannette Clark said costs associated with a proposed remodeling would be "very expensive," but that commissioners will continue to focus on the library remaining downtown and building an addition to accommodate future growth.The commission has already approached owners of properties neighboring the library for expansion options, Clark said.

"We do not plan to leave this location unless this location is totally unfeasible," said Clark."We've talked to all of the landlords that surround the library.We need to know if we're landlocked here, or we have room to move."

Findings and recommendations in the report range from replacing outdated light fixtures to replacing the concrete floor of the original Carnegie Library basement section - now closed to the public - and restoring it to full use.

The portion of the library open to the public is about 6,000 square feet.