New location for Victor Farmington Library or not? Voters to decide

VICTOR, NY — Is it time for a larger Victor Farmington Library, in a new location that not only accounts for the service needs of residents now, but also for years in the future in the rapidly growing towns of Victor and Farmington? If yes, then supporters say vote "yes" on a proposition before voters.

Or, as opponents suggest, is the proposal before voters unreasonable and too costly, especially as the community emerges from the COVID-19 pandemic? Then, as one of the signs around the village and town recommend, it’s OK to vote "no" and still “love the library.”

Decision time is near, as voters head to the polls from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesday at Victor Early Childhood School to decide on a larger library at a new location or having the library stay put.

Here’s what’s at stake.

More library space, today and tomorrow

The current library is cramped, supporters of the proposal say.

The library’s existing 9,000-square-foot facility at 15 W. Main St. was designed in 1996 to serve up to 15,000 people, library officials say. But now, some 25,000 residents depend on the library for their education, research, casual reading, programs, and internet needs.

If voters give the OK, the library would move to a 24,000-square-foot facility at 160 School St. in the village of Victor. That location currently houses a martial arts studio, pizza place and used furniture store.

The new library's design takes future growth into account, according to Director Tim Niver.

The library is properly sized for generations to come, he said, citing a large concentration of new building permits in Farmington, Victor and Canandaigua in one of only two counties to see growth in New York, according to census figures.

“We know there is growth, we know there is going to be continued growth in the community," Niver said. “You get a modern library that will be here to serve the community for decades.”

But it comes with a cost.

What will it cost you?

The proposed $16.6 million project, which is expected to be completed in 2024, will carry a projected tax rate of 82 cents per $1,000 of assessed value. The current rate is 27 cents per $1,000 of assessed value, meaning a 55-cent increase.

For the average home assessed at $300,000, the tax bill to support the new library would be less than $246 annually, or $20.50 a month, but a $165 increase from the current tax bill.

The library has collected, to date, about $300,000 in pledges, and officials are looking at grants to help offset the cost.

Much has been made on social media and in yard signs about a 300% tax increase; Niver said the tax rate increase is closer to 200%.

“An increase is still an increase, we’re aware of that and sensitive to it,” Niver said.

Randolph Shea, who lives in the village, acknowledged in an email the proposed increase in the library tax dominates the discussion. But, he said, if the library had come up with a more reasonable proposal, he and others may have been more neutral and even supportive of it.

“The first time that people find out about tax increases like this should not be when they see it for the first time on their tax bill,” Shea said in the email. “This year’s decision pertaining to the library tax yes or no vote is not just a one-year decision. If passed it will mark the start of a higher tax for the next 20 years in paying down the loan that they will be taking out to pay for it.”

The yearly cost would be $2.542 million, which includes paying down a 20-year mortgage and operating expenses for the new library, Niver said.

This project has been in the planning for five years, and discussed during open public library board meetings, and good, qualified people have been working on it.

“We’ve done our homework. We’ve put the time in,” Niver said. “We’re not trying to hide anything. We are being transparent."

Here’s what residents could see in a library if the proposal passes Tuesday.

What you’d pay for

In addition to a larger facility, here's what's in store for a new library: More parking, for one.

With a larger library comes more space for books, as well as more space for meeting rooms for people to use.

A small teaching kitchen would help people learn to cook healthy and inexpensive meals and is not meant to be a direct competitor to the New York Kitchen in Canandaigua.

The new children's area would be three times as large as it is now, with a separate storytime room. It would be separated from the rest of the library, allowing children to be children, Niver said.

“They can make noise, they can have fun and it’s not going to disturb anybody else,” Niver said.

That also would create more space for adult programming and classes. Now, there is one large meeting room.

“When that’s being used, no one else is using that room,” Niver said. “We can have multiple events and programs at the same time.”

Other amenities include an outdoor reading area for kids and adults, a drive-up book drop, a permanent used book sale room, space for more public computers, dedicated art gallery space, and outdoor space planned for community activities such as movie nights, concerts, or car shows.

The library and Ontario Arc are in negotiations that could allow the nonprofit agency’s North Star Coffee to operate in a small coffeeshop in the library.

“Libraries are more than just a library,” Niver said. “This is what the library is, not a community center, but it is a community resource that can be much more than a library for everybody. You get a modern library that will be here to serve the community for decades.”

What happens next?

If residents vote yes, the earliest work could begin would be in early 2023; the project is expected to be completed in 2024. Twin Elder Brewing Co. has already moved from the School Street building, meaning a martial arts studio, pizza shop and used furniture business would be on the lookout for new homes.

If residents vote no, the library stays where it is and there is no plan for a revote, Niver said, adding that’s not meant to be a “scare tactic.”

Instead, it’s a realization that downsizing a library plan with a smaller footprint than what is being proposed won’t save a lot of money, he said. In fact, if space needs continue as they are, an additional referendum may then have to be floated before voters.

"Costs are only going up,” Niver said.

More details

Residents can find updates with the latest numbers and insights, along with a comprehensive list of FAQs and answers, posted at victorfarmingtonlibrary.org/new.

This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: Victor Farmington Library location will be decided by voters