As expected, the City Council delayed action Monday night on improving the Parmly Billings Library.

Instead, the council will reconsider the issue at its next business meeting on Dec. 14.

The council was slated to consider three options for improving the city library: move to a nearby building, renovate the existing building or build a new library.

City staff and the library board are recommending that the library move to the Gainan’s building on North 30th Street, but library Director Bill Cochran said the plan wasn’t ready for a vote yet because a purchase agreement hasn’t been finalized with Gainan’s.

Other options

While the council voted to hold a public hearing on the matter in three weeks, some council members thought more attention should be given to other options.

“I haven’t heard anyone opposed to a new library,” said Councilman Vince Ruegamer. “Yet I haven’t heard anyone who is in support of this specific deal” to move to Gainan’s.

Councilwoman Jani McCall said she’s heard from some in the development community who think the library has other options worth exploring.

“They believe there may be other options out there,” she said.

City officials estimate the cost of moving to Gainan’s and expanding that building at $13.75 million. Renovating the existing library would cost $15 million, and building a new library would cost more than $17 million.

All three options would have to be approved by voters, and the increased tax burden on a $200,000 home is estimated at just below or above $20 per year for 20 years, depending on which option is chosen.

Councilman Ed Ulledalen, who was running the meeting in place of an absent Mayor Ron Tussing, said the council should be soliciting more ideas from the public. He compared the library’s situation to the city’s bus transit center a few years ago, when community members convinced the City Council to change the preferred location for the transit center.

“Maybe we charge the community with coming back with some alternatives,” Ulledalen said.

DBP plan

In other business, the council approved a plan by the Downtown Billings Partnership to use $34,000 in remaining tax increment money for a building façade improvement program. Businesses in the North 27th Street TIF district can apply for up to 50 percent of the cost of doing façade, awning or sign improvements to their property.

The council also approved a federal grant application for $475,000 to tear down the mothballed Naval Reserve Center in North Park. The center is contaminated with asbestos, and the city wants to tear down the buildings.

Montana’s congressional delegation already secured the money from the Department of Housing and Urban Development, so the city just needs to formally apply for it. Demolition is expected to take place next year.

Related

• Council to consider library proposal
• Talk about facility changes for library is nothing new for city
• Variables could push library funding costs down
• Choices for Parmly Billing Library are moving, building, fixing — or nothing