Monday, September 10, 2012

Standard-Examiner: Bad Soil May Kill Weber County Library Expansion

Doodly squat: A set up for a new building on a new site... and there, my friends, go your property taxes

By: Smaatguy

Hold on to your wallets, as it looks from Sunday's article like Weber County Library is setting us up to spring for a new main branch:
Ok, here is the skinny. The article spouts off about big water table issues and debris from the construction of the current building.  Both "appear" to be HUGE obstacles to doing anything with the existing building or site.

I say doodly-squat.

First of all, most of the bench from say Adams to Quincy has underground water erratically flowing through it; and they dealt with it in the current building.  Those things wear out; and technology has changed alot since then to deal with it.  So before we go buying a new piece of property in the downtown area lets think twice and save the scare tactics.

Secondly, regarding the debris: Build out a new basement and the debris goes with it.

The boiler and such: Put a new one in.  That takes up minimal space.

Methinks this is a set up for a new building on a new site... and there my friends go your property taxes.

I could be wrong of course, but this is how I see it.

One more thing:  How many issues is a new piece of property going to have that it would have the same central location?  So you would be spending site costs anyways...plus the cost of the land.

5 comments:

Ogden Lover said...

Why can't our local governments understand that it's a time for fiscal conservatism?  It would be nice to create jobs doing this construction, but taxpayers are being pushed to the breaking point.

Smaatguy said...

create jobs?...sure...in SLC, that's where they will be created.

Bob Becker said...

I've yet to see anyone offer any evidence that the expansion problems discussed in the article are not soundly grounded (so to speak).

Smaatguy said...

Bob...my point is ground water issues are fairly easily dealt with as is the debris issue...in particular to the cost associated with buying new property in/near the same central location that is likely to have the same issues….my point is the "chicken little" tone of the article….the study can be pointed anyway that they want…how many of those have we seen around these parts eh?

Smaatguy said...

The Standard's Editorial today...suprise, suprise.....
 
Main library a money pit      Weber County officials should not waste taxpayers’ money in trying to improve the county’s main library in central/downtown Ogden at 2464 Jefferson Ave. Rather, money should be saved over time with a long-term goal of having a new main library for the Weber County system.
   This does not mean that we want to close the library. We agree with Library Director Lynnda Wangsgard, who calls it a “wonderful building” and “am amazing piece of architecture.”
   It’s important that a library remain in the heart of downtown Ogden. The economically depressed area needs the services a library offers.
   One recent Saturday, when the main library was closed due to a power outage, we witnessed a gathering of unhappy patrons outside the building. Some were disappointed that they would not be able to use the library’s computers to do higher-education homework assignments. The need for   the main library will always be there, and a satellite must always be included in that area.    But there are too many problems with the 44-year-old main library. The water table on the property is too high, the soil quality is poor, with too much debris. The library has frequent flooding problems as well as electrical problems and a boiler in need of replacement. Also, there are asbestos risks in the building that might be exacerbated the building’s wiring was fixed.    Those are all reasons why money should be saved with an eye toward a new main library. If the main library’s problems increase, there is always the possibility of selecting a new main library from among the satellites.    But, never leave central Ogden without a library. The building on Jefferson is a community treasure. There are precious few of Ogden and Weber residents who have not taken good advantage of its many positive benefits the past two generations.

   This does not mean that we want to close the library. We agree with Library Director Lynnda Wangsgard, who calls it a “wonderful building” and “am amazing piece of architecture.”
   It’s important that a library remain in the heart of downtown Ogden. The economically depressed area needs the services a library offers.
   One recent Saturday, when the main library was closed due to a power outage, we witnessed a gathering of unhappy patrons outside the building. Some were disappointed that they would not be able to use the library’s computers to do higher-education homework assignments. The need for   the main library will always be there, and a satellite must always be included in that area.    But there are too many problems with the 44-year-old main library. The water table on the property is too high, the soil quality is poor, with too much debris. The library has frequent flooding problems as well as electrical problems and a boiler in need of replacement. Also, there are asbestos risks in the building that might be exacerbated the building’s wiring was fixed.    Those are all reasons why money should be saved with an eye toward a new main library. If the main library’s problems increase, there is always the possibility of selecting a new main library from among the satellites.    But, never leave central Ogden without a library. The building on Jefferson is a community treasure. There are precious few of Ogden and Weber residents who have not taken good advantage of its many positive benefits the past two generations.

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