Tom Birk pleads case and flips all but one library board member to approve referendum vote this November

Tom Birk was the last member of the public audience to speak at the special meeting held by the Board of Trustees of the Jasper Public Library last night. Once he began it was hard to get him to stop. A demand for who was for or against the new library among the board members continued into a pleading to have the board rescind its decision and finally became an onslaught of Birk’s persuasive ability to argue a case in front of a jury; and the jury folded.

Three of the four holdouts were swayed to the decision to rescind and allow the vote to continue. The only nay, Board Vice-President James Siefert, left in disgust immediately after the board approved the motion to allow the vote this November.

It wasn’t an easy settlement, the 2 hour meeting began with several members of the public arguing for the board to just allow the people to vote on the referendum.

Bob Phister, former board member, stated to the board, “We finally get to a referendum and it’s like, it’s swept out from under us. It’s knocked out from under us. …Give the people the voice to be heard.” He then finished his statement by expressing that if the board doesn’t allow the vote then the board members should resign.

Dr. Terry Brown, who had sat silently reading a book until the meeting began, stated eloquently after thanking the board for their service, “My dad used to have a saying about when I couldn’t make a decision. He would say, ‘Terry, sh** or get off the pot’ and right now you [board] need to sh** or get off the pot.”

Janice Kemker, a volunteer at the library, explained the conditions at the current library. “When I oriented to the library as a volunteer, I was taken to the staff bathroom and told, ‘Please only pee in this because if you do anything else it will smell up the library’, and the women’s bathroom always smells like a cesspool.”

She then offered up an analogy concerning traffic to the library. “I like to eat at Los Bravos. I ate there at their old location and I go to their new location (across from the proposed library site). But I used to be able to get a table without waiting at the old location, now when I go, I have to wait for a table. The only difference is the location; the food is the same.”

Birk then started into a long debate with the board finally prompting them to take another vote for the referendum. Calling upon the foundation of our country as a leader in providing a free public library 250 years ago and describing the library as the “soul of a community” he slowly worked the board to clarity on the subject.

Bill Hewitt, President of the Board, a long time opponent to the move, expressed his own concerns about the size of the building, the site, and the cost. He then expressed that the numbers concerning the library tax given at the public meeting were incorrect and misleading. Hewitt stated that the tax increase would equate to an 82% increase in the current library tax for property owners.

Bob Sheneyfelt quickly advised the public that Hewitt has the right to state his numbers but as the legal counsel for the board he expressed that these are Hewitt’s own calculations and not those of the board.

The board recognized that the referendum was based on the current numbers for building a new structure at the site on South Newton but the costs may be lessened with some changes in the design of the new building.

Gerald Schaeffer, from the architectural firm Universal Design Associates, Inc, was called to describe changes in the design of the building. He explained how approximately 4000 square feet could be whittled from the current design to the tune of approximately $400,000 to $500,000 in savings.

The division of the board was apparent as debate continued along the main three objections cost, location, and size, finally under the auspices that the board would look at reducing the cost of the project by whatever means necessary allowed a vote for allowing the referendum.

Under this direction, Dean Vonderheide, Bill Hewitt, and Deborah Stemle (Treasurer), acquiesced to allowing the referendum to go forward. Seifert maintained his position against.

Rita Douthitt, Library Director, explained that they now have a lot of work ahead of them educating the public about the referendum.

“The new library is being described by some as the monument on the hill, but I ensure you there is no fluff in that building.” Douthitt said. “We expect to add 50,000 items to the library over the next 20 years. That space is not too much for what we are offering and the growth we expect.”

Douthitt described how the library staff isn’t asking for more office space they are asking for better working conditions. “None of the staff has a place to sit down much less place to do their work.”

The library is filling many needs for the government as well. “On Sunday we have had to lessen the time allowed on the computers due to the high amount of traffic that accesses them for unemployment filings that have to be done online. They also come in and use our services for tax filing and job searches. They are told to go to the library to access these things.” Douthitt said. “The need is there.”