Town officials will meet with library board Tuesday
The Fort Myers Beach Town Council approved four actions regarding judicial responsibility in the matter of the proposed expansion of the Fort Myers Beach Public Library property last night at its regular meeting at Town Hall.
The council approved to have Town Attorney Jim Humphrey, Town Manager Terry Stewart and Mayor Larry Kiker attend the monthly Beach Library board meeting next Tuesday (Jan. 25) at 6:30 p.m. to discuss the matter of the expansion.
The council will request a facilities report from all independent special taxing districts, which includes the Beach Library Board, as well as arrange a joint meeting between the two taxing districts (Beach Library and Town) to discuss the scope, financing, operations and maintenance of the proposed expansion.
The council will forward a copy of a memorandum by Town Attorney Jim Humphrey, which he sent to town officials regarding his review of Florida Statute Chapter 189. The point of the review was to achieve a better understanding of the statutory reporting and other requirements applicable to independent special districts and to ensure the accountability of special districts to state and local governments.
The point of the actions is to assist the library board members in making the right decision regarding the expansion. There has been resistance toward building on to the existing library, especially adding a community center that would compete with Bay Oaks Recreational Campus.
The general feeling of the council was to set a good example amongst all the taxing districts and take a respectful, yet direct approach on this issue.
“We have a responsibility to follow through with what our taxpayers have asked us to do,” said Vice Mayor Bob Raymond. “I definitely do not want to dominate the library board. The final decisions that happen with the library expansion is between the people of the town and the library officials, not us.”
Councilman Tom Babcock, the lone dissenter in the 4-1 decision, has said all along he would like the library officials to take the initiative on the matter.
“Florida Statute 189 makes clear that the jurisdiction for oversight falls with the county,” he said. “As a response to the public input that we’ve gotten, we need to address that. But, I do think it’s inappropriate to go to them and request things that, in fact, they should be initiating on their own.”
The discussion and action was a continuation from a work session that the council held earlier in the day. Humphrey’s memo was discussed at length and the scenarios were drawn out to take action on at the evening meeting.
The Beach Library is expected to break ground on expansion in the near future -one that would nearly double the existing 18,895 square feet to 34,190 and cost more than $7 million.