The Town of Malta Library Committee presented three options for the town to consider regarding the expansion of library services within the town. Ultimately, it recommended that the Malta town board, the village of Round Lake, and the Women’s Round Lake Improvement Society (WRLIS) build a new building of approximately 20,000 square feet and renovate the existing Round Lake Library.
We believe you can do it without a referendum, said Paul DeCotis, the chairman of the Town of Malta Library Committee. `In our view, given our growth in Malta, the money issue doesn’t have to be as big an issue as in the past.`
The report indicated that financial support for library construction and operation could be garnered in several ways. One option available is an annual assessment collected through the local school district budget referenda, much like the money raised through Ballston Spa Central School District’s annual budget vote to support the Ballston Spa Public Library. Other suggestions included annual support or one-time contributions from companies locating in the Luther Forest Technology Campus (LFTC) or an annual budget appropriation from Saratoga County. Federal, state, and private foundation grants may be available, and state Legislature member item appropriations for library support could also be utilized. Another suggestion was to continue the annual budget support provided to WRLIS by the town and the village, which currently is provided to manage and operate the existing library in Round Lake. If the building were to be constructed as part of NYSERDA’s Saratoga Technology + Energy Park, a voluntary annual community benefit payment could be made to the town by NYSERDA.
DeCotis noted that those options could be utilized in conjunction with one another, and reminded those listening to the presentation that in order for a new special taxing district to be formed, both WRLIS and the state Legislature would have to agree to it and then the matter would go up for a public vote.
`We think these things collectively could fund a library,` he said. `If not, it’ll provide the bulk of the revenue.`
The library committee estimated a construction cost of a new building at $178 per square feet, including a projected 33 percent increase to reflect inflation. The estimated operating budget for the 20,000 square-foot space would be $58 per square foot. DeCotis noted the costs included in their report do not reflect costs associated with the purchase of land.
`This presumes that the land for the library would be donated,` said DeCotis.
He identified eight pieces of property currently owned by either the village of Round Lake or the town of Malta that could be utilized as the site for the new library. The Round Lake sites include property between Goldfoot Road and Round Lake Road east of Route 9; two pieces of property that border the Zim Smith Trail; and School House park. The town sites include the recently acquired Memory Lane along Route 9; the 4-acre site donated by Alec Mackey earlier this year; and a parcel inside the LFTC. Use of the NYSERDA site was also included.
The report presented last week was referred to as the `Phase 1 Report` and the committee asked that the board, the village trustees, and members of WRLIS commit to pursuing additional phases of research and data collection. A verbal agreement was given by the three parties that they would like to see the committee continue to explore the options available to the town, but some asked for clarification on the facts and figures presented within the first report.
Councilman Cliff Lange noted that one option of leasing additional space appealed to him, but said he would like to know more about that option. Similarly, Councilwoman Sue Nolen asked that information regarding `annexing a smaller facility to the proposed community center expansion` be re-evaluated and the costs associated with such an option be clearly defined.
Town board members, the village trustees, and members of WRLIS will all meet independently to discuss the committee report and recommendations. A meeting will be scheduled in August so that the three parties can discuss their particular concerns, issues, and suggestions with the other involved groups and together provide the library committee with a charge for the next phase of their research into expanded library services within the town of Malta. “