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City approves loan for new Main Library
By JENNIFER FARRELL, Times Staff Writer
CLEARWATER -- City commissioners have unanimously approved a $1.13-million loan to cover construction bills at the new Main Library. And to help ensure the 90,000-square-foot building gets furnished on time, they gave the Greater Clearwater Public Library Foundation a break on the payback plan in a meeting Thursday night. Instead of forcing the foundation to turn over every penny of each pledge collected, the city will accept 50 percent payments, allowing the foundation to put the other half toward its share of the furniture budget. Commissioner Frank Hibbard, who questioned the loan during a work session on Tuesday, joined the rest of the commission to support fronting the money. But not without qualms. "I have real reservations about dipping into our retained earnings, which is basically our emergency fund," he said. Hibbard cited a deal structured by a previous commission to leave portions of the building unfinished if fundraising flagged. He worried a city loan could amount to a bailout, discouraging people from making good on pledges and undercutting future public-private partnerships. On Thursday, he urged the foundation to broaden its appeal to the community. "I think there's an untapped resource," Hibbard said. Jim Harper, chairman of the capital campaign, on Tuesday said the foundation plans to conduct a community drive and seek donations from city vendors. Total cost for the library, set to open in December, is $20.2-million. Of that, the foundation is responsible for raising $5-million. So far, pledges and donations total $4-million. By Thursday, the foundation was to have contributed $3.4-million, but it came up short at $2.3-million. As part of the $5-million, the foundation still must raise $1.32-million to help furnish the library. Harper said he expects $1-million in new pledges by the end of the year and to collect an additional $500,000 to $600,000 in cash, bringing the foundation up to date by next year. Most large-scale donors prefer to spread their gifts over several years, he said. Commissioners agreed not to boost the city's contribution for furniture, using the possibility of unfinished areas as the carrot to attract potential donors. "I want to make sure that we don't bend over backward so that the public feels that they don't have to complete their end of the commitment," Commissioner Bill Jonson said. In other business, commissioners: Gave preliminary approval for land use and zoning changes at 202 Windward Passage that would clear the way for a proposed 55-unit luxury condominium complex to replace the High and Dry Marina on Island Estates. Mayor Brian Aungst and Commissioners Hoyt Hamilton and Frank Hibbard voted for the changes, while Vice Mayor Whitney Gray and Commissioner Bill Jonson opposed them. Approved spending $72,710 for improvements on Papaya and Baymont streets and two surface parking lots at East Shore Drive and Memorial Causeway. Awarded a contract up to $300,000 to St. Petersburg-based Dolphin Communications Services Inc. to install a fiber optic loop to connect city facilities downtown. Aungst, who works for Time Warner, abstained from the vote. Awarded a $1.49-million contract to GLE Construction Services Inc. of Tampa to replace the Clearwater Mall Fire & Rescue Station 49. -- Jennifer Farrell can be reached at 445-4160 or farrell@sptimes.com ">farrell@sptimes.com .
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