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Post-Tribune

Gary library closings put on hold

Audience members, including Mayor Karen Freeman-Wilson, center, listen to Gary Library Board members discuss closing two branches on Monday.

After a scolding from Mayor Karen Freeman-Wilson, the cash-strapped Gary Library Board tabled plans to close Brunswick and Du Bois branch libraries.

Some board members backed the closings to reopen the shuttered main library that's been closed since 2011. The action could leave the reopening in peril.

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Board member Robert Buggs, who's led the campaign to reopen the main library, said during Monday's meeting the board has spent $2.2 million to renovate it after earlier gutting it to transform it into a cultural center. He said the library is nearly ready to reopen.

"The board has approved $2 million to get it open and now we're going to let it sit," said Buggs who lost to Freeman-Wilson in the May Democratic mayoral primary.

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In a rare show of unity, both Freeman-Wilson and administration critic Jim Nowacki criticized the board for the possible closings of Brunswick and Du Bois.

"I've heard about your surveys and estimates and I'm not sure who took them," said Freeman-Wilson. "I wish this conversation had been shared with the city council prior to their making a decision," she said in reference to a July council vote that allowed the library board to use $1.85 million in its reserve funds. "It seems a little disingenuous."

The divided council agreed to allow the library board use the funding to cover the main library's costs and for repairs at four other branches.

Several council members questioned the move saying the reopening of the main library at 220 W. 5th Ave., would undoubtedly mean closings of satellite branches. Like the city, the cash-strapped library board is struggling to operate four branch libraries and has been crippled by dwindling property tax collections and crushing tax caps that wiped out about 40 percent of its budget.

Library director Diana Morrow said the only way the board can staff the main library is to staff it with employees from closed branches. "If we keep everything open, we won't have staff for the main library," she said.

More than $1 million was targeted for the main library rehab, while the remaining $800,000 would go for painting, new carpeting and furniture at the four branch library buildings. Those branches are Brunswick, 4030 W. 5th Ave.; Du Bois, 1835 Broadway; Kennedy, 3953 Broadway, and Woodson, 501 S. Lake St. Brunswick is the library's newest branch but Buggs said its parking lot needs $500,000 in repairs.

Freeman-Wilson said more public feedback is needed on the closings.

Nowacki flashed his library card and said he uses it regularly. "I wish the library board could appreciate how important libraries are in our community. I was in attendance when we closed the main branch because it was important to the board at that time to cover the city with branches.

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"I think you're going in the wrong direction here. The entire west side is not covered," he said.

Library board member Paula Nalls, who chairs its finance committee, said she'll schedule more public meetings. In hindsight, Nalls said the plan to convert the main library into a cultural center was a blunder.

"It was a big mistake and a cash cow. I don't want to imply that individuals did things underhanded, but we had to pay out big money. Nobody guts a place to reopen it," she said.

Four years ago, former library board president Tony Walker backed a plan to close the main library, but transform it into a less expensive museum and cultural center so the downtown wouldn't be left with another shuttered eyesore.

The library board approved the $2.9 million plan and workers gutted the library, installing a new colorful facade declaring it the South Shore Museum and Cultural Center.

Meanwhile, opposition to library closing grew among senior citizens. The activists convinced the county council to dump its board appointee and they filed a lawsuit. Meanwhile, the school board appointed Buggs to the board and he sought to have the plan overturned and the library reopened.

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The Gary School Board appoints three of the seven library board members, while the Gary City Council and mayor each have one appointment and the Lake County Board of Commissioners and Lake County Council each have one appointment.

ccarlson@post-trib.com

Twitter: @ccwriterPT


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