Update: Library branch expansion in Turlock gets OK, with some quibbling
The long-sought expansion of the Turlock branch library won approval Tuesday night, amid concerns about the cost and competing needs.
The Stanislaus County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously for an $8.99 million contract with Roebbelen Contracting Inc. for detailed design and construction. The expanded and remodeled building could open in February 2021.
The Minaret Avenue branch, just east of downtown Turlock, is one of the busiest in the county library system. It was completed in 1968 to serve a future city population of 30,000. Turlock now has about 73,000 people.
Some audience members said the money would be better spent on increased pay for home-based health care providers, or on sidewalks in neighborhoods lacking them. Supervisor Jim DeMartini said the library cost was excessive and could reduce money for the next branch expansion, in Empire.
The Turlock library’s interior space will grow about 60 percent to 16,531 square feet. The plans also include adding an interior courtyard and an outdoor children’s garden, totaling 2,484 square feet. The current building has no space devoted to kids’ story times and other gatherings.
The county plans to move its library services to a room at the adjacent Turlock Senior Center during construction, which could start in May 2020.
Board Chairman Terry Withrow said the project is worthwhile even though many people can now read books on electronic devices.
“All our libraries do great things for our underprivileged communities,” he said.
County staff members said the total reflects in part sharp increases in construction costs in general. They also noted restrictions on the main funding source, a $6.3 million loan from the county’s share of a national settlement with tobacco companies. That money must go to capital rather than operating costs. The repayments will come from the county library budget, funded mainly by a 1/8 percent sales tax approved by voters.
The Turlock project also will get money from the county general fund, fees on developers, and accumulated library sales taxes.
Roebbelen is based in El Dorado Hills, east of Sacramento. The county opted for a single company for both design and construction.
This story was originally published November 19, 2019 at 9:13 PM.
