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ccm19950626SPECIAL JOINT MEETING OF CITY OF MUSKEGO COMMON COUNCIL, LIBRARY BOARD AND THE MUSKEGO/NORWAY SCHOOL BOARD MINUTES OF MEETING HELD JUNE 26, 1995 Heiden, Donald Hensiak, Paul Oman, Linda LeMaster, Jeff School Board Members Present: President Bruce Brownell, James Olsen, and John Rajkovacz (arrived 7:lO PM). Also present were Charles Brenden and Darlene Birdeau. COIiUnOn Council Members Present: Mayor David De Angelis, Aldermen Rasumussen, Salentine (arrived 7:07 PM), Sanders, and Suhr. Absent: Aldermen D'Acquisto, Misko, Patterson. Also present was Jean Marenda, City Clerk. Library Board Members Present: President Ray Christenson, Charlotte Stewart, Robert.Rammer, Nancy Berken, and Russ Jankowski. Also present were Holly Sanhuber and Building Committee Members Tom Berken and David Hudzinski. Ray Christenson, president of the Library Board, reviewed Holly Sanhuber's document entitled "Joint School/Public Library Questions and Concerns June, 1995." He reported that Durrant-Heike was selected as the architect and they were asked to look at three sites near the City Hall and current library Durrant-Heike gave a brief overview of Durrant-Heike and and one site at the high school. Mr. Gerald Olsen of presented a site evaluation analysis and presentation. Ray Christenson expressed additional concerns about the serious problem of allowing the public to enter the school building up to 9:00 P.M. at night and security issues. Also discussed possible loss of aids, union concerns, and concerns about the Waukesha Federated Library System. The library talked and researched with an open mind on issue of a combined library and I'm not enthusiastic. Erma Kelber spoke stating she had both public library and school library experience. She has not found a system that could comfortably combine the two. An example is the reaction of the public coming into a busy school library where 30 or more students are working with a teacher on a project. Another example is a mother. They would be at a serious disadvantage because the environment would not be conducive to their needs. School representative to the Library Board, Mr. Robert Rammer, we all have. From the high school perspective, we've never had stated that cooperation among the three bodies is an objective a better relationship than now with the public library. I don't feel we serve the same constituents or have the same objectives or the same missions. Pam Huth, the high school librarian, stated they are busy from 7:OO A.M. to 4:OO P.M. with students in the library including Special Joint Common Council/Library Board/ Minutes - June 26, 1995 Page 2 Muskego/Norway School Board Meeting classes and interdisciplinary projects. Sometimes there may be two classes and study halls. Paul Oman asked what is anticipated cost and timeline. Gerry Olsen gave an $85 per square foot estimated cost excluding furnishings. So for a 30,000 square foot building, that would be $2,550,000. As to the timeline, Ray Christenson responded there are still some design problems to work out. There would probably be a referendum. The Library Board would like to get started in 1996. The 31,000 square foot is for public library needs not taking into consideration high school use. The Library Board would prefer the building to be all on one floor, the size needed for a 20-year projected population. John Rajkovacz questioned computer connections and thought the high school should explore getting a mainframe. Linda LeMaster thanked the Library Board for their input and presentations to make the data available. Bruce Brownell also thanked the Library Board for making this information available and congratulated them on their effort to gather facts and information. Mayor De Angelis said some administrators he has been talking to dealing with joint libraries state money is an issue due to salary disparity. The county administered federal library system wouldn't be affected and the joint library would receive the same amount of aid. He also didn't believe any of the be made on what's good for the City of Muskego. We need to library state aid would be placed in jeopardy. A decision must evaluate if benefits are equal on both sides, most money would be saved on staffing. We haven't really addressed the staffing. Pay disparity is an issue. We need to explore further than tonight to define services and staff and who's going to get paid what. The three bodies would need to cooperate to reconfigure the Library Board, resolve security issues, and public/student needs. The facilities available to us at the high school have research further or drop tonight. some limitations. These bodies need to define if we should Alderman Suhr referred to Holly's handout. He would like to hear how it works in those communities with similar populations. He would like to see cost benefit data. We need to see that before a decision can be made. He felt the mix of public and what doesn't work. students is a design issue. We need to know what works and not Alderman Salentine stated it was good to get the three bodies together. We are all looking at trying to save taxpayer dollars. Parking at the high school site is a problem. She was not comfortable with a joint facility. If we could see it was positive from the top down, it would be different. We need Special Joint Common Council/Library Board/ Minutes - June 26, 1995 Page 3 MuskegoINorway School Board Meeting expansion room at City Hall. Spoke in favor of a separate facility because the students attend school during the day and public library at night - they don't have to go back to school. Alderman Sanders stated we did look at a potential joint site recently and research showed problems. As an alderman at that time, I can say that we signed off and preferred a single site facility. I think the information points to the fact that a shared facility has a lot of problems. I believe that dollar savings sparked the initial investigation of a joint facility. thing we're looking at. We have to look at what's good for the I don't think in this case cost savings should be the overall City and the school. Alderman Rasmussen felt the common problem tonight was a fear of and answers presented by the Library Board and for every the unknown and of something new. He looked at the questions negative, he felt there was a positive. He also felt most of the problems are addressed under State Statute 66.30. He stated that at a seminar for newly elected officials with Professor John Martin this issue was discussed. Hi5 comments were that the State is encouraging these types of facilities. The architectural study appears to be arbitrary. There are other options at the high school site. The real question is a matter of will. Can the Common Council and School Board show the will to achieve the objective. We need more information. Thirty thousand square feet may be excessive. Can we do a combined facility? My recommendation is a small committee be formed to get together to make this work. If they find it can't, I'll have to stand down. I would like the committee formed between the Common Council and the School Board. Jim Heiden stated we're only looking at one option here. We are going to be looking at a new building. When we have need for a new school would be the time for this project. Alderman Rasmussen predicted we'll have a middle school here and then it would be shared with three. He added that his constituents said if you can make it work, do it. Nancy Berken asked Alderman Rasmussen about the negatives. He stated it would depend on the location. There are other options to siting a library than are provided here. Don Hensiak stated he had no feeling either way. The presentation only offered one site for the combined facility. Obviously some construction would be required on the school district part also. What if we have a referendum on the ballot for a school and a library? He agreed the siting does not look half million dollar structure over 20 years which reallv isn't good. The proponents are looking at construction of a two and a as important as the ooeratina expense.- He exoressed interest in seeing the savings in-annual-costs. Other issues would be older Special Joint Common Council/Library Board/ Minutes - June 26, 1995 Page 4 Muskego/Norway School Board Meeting residents coming into the schools - we need the community to come into the schools. With regard to security, we're already budgeting for a liaison police officer in the schools. These questions must be answered. We need to determine if there would be annual operating cost savings. Holly Sanhuber stated we were authorized an expenditure of drawings. The three sites near the City Hall/Library were the $40,000 to cover the cost of site selection and preliminary sites originally being considered. The idea of attaching to the high school came up April 24, 1995 to gather facts. The site at want more sites investigated we need more money. Ray the high school was one we were told was of interest. If we Christenson stated that when we asked the architect to go over to the high school, we asked him to look at the entire site. He pressure from the Library Board. The Board has tried to be came over here and looked at facilities and utilities without impartial. The only time we'll save money is when the computer retiring. I may sound biased but the Library Board did as good is on line. I was an efficiency engineer in industry before a job as we know how to do. The Mayor stated that when we look at combined services, there is one big factor to look at, go beyond what's the normal and find new and innovative ways to work together. The Library Board identified problems with combining and problems with the site on the high school grounds. In order to take a step forward, we may need to take a different look at what we're doing. What's really to be saved and come up with the pluses of combining the service. There are compelling reasons why we shouldn't right now, but we need to look further. The library also need to discuss the referendum issue. is in a space crunch and they don't want to drag this out. We meeting reminds me there is another challenge for us. The Bruce Brownell echoed the Mayor's comments and stated this There is good reason for us to continue this dialogue on this public expects it of us. We need to assess a lot of things. issue. The purpose of this meeting is a workshop, to gather information. We will make no decision tonight but this will be discussed at the next School Board meeting. The meeting was adjourned at 0:55 P.M. Respectfully submitted, n K. Marenda, CMC erk/Comptroller a JKM: jmb