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Town office/library referendum - why you should vote No

We support the library. Every citizen of Rimbey and Ponoka County supports the library — just not this version of a library.

Dear Editor:

We support the library.

Every citizen of Rimbey and Ponoka County supports the library — just not this version of a library. Those on the Yes side would have you believe that those who vote against this expansion are against libraries. Ridiculous. Vote No.

Why has town council made it non-binding? We are now going to pay $5,000 to $6,000 to run a referendum they don’t have to honor. They already had the results of the unofficial referendum that were published in the Rimbey Review a few weeks ago, given to them for free; 89 per cent voted to keep the town office where it is. This decision could have waited until the fall municipal election and got the answer for free. What is the rush?

Do Rimbey taxpayers want to sell the town office worth more than $650,000 to the Rimbey Municipal Library Board for $1? Vote No.

Do Rimbey taxpayers want the town office moved to the Provincial Building where we will have to throw away $36,000 a year on rent? Why did administration and council not tell taxpayers about the actual cost of this move? Besides the $36,000 to be paid annually for rent added to costs of the move likely underestimated at $145,000, taxpayers need to keep in mind that the $36,000 at the existing library town office site would need to add to the library operational budget to pay for the full operational cost of the new town library. That’s right, between the two operations the cost is $72,000 a year and you the taxpayer will get to pay. Vote No.

Why was the library’s position sent out in Rimbey utility bills? Who authorized it? The library pamphlet for the Yes side was also copied at no cost at the town office; 1,600 pamphlets printed both sides in color, a $350 value. You paid for it. It costs more than $5,000 to do a mailing to town mailboxes with postage and stationery.

The mayor refused to send out the No side in the tax notice, as he did for the Yes side. Vote No.

Political interference in a referendum, by favouring one side with taxpayer’s money, isn’t that illegal?

The library pamphlet just says vote Yes for the library, gives some vague numbers and costs, and indicates the library board will proceed to renovate the town office side only as they obtain the funds. The pamphlet stated they need $500,000 or is it $5,000 as the librarian told Rimbey Review reporter Treena Mielke in the May 5 newspaper article. Vote No.

Why did a leading county Ponoka County councillor call Rimbey’s decision on this town office/library issue stupid. Read this document carefully and you will understand. More than 65 per cent of library users are from the county.

Why won’t the managing director of library services and the library board present an independent review of the numbers and an official business plan? The library’s latest statistics for 2012 are absolutely incredulous. The numbers claim 37,674 visitors, the library is only open approximately 1,600 hours, allowing for stats and summer reduced hours, that would work out to almost 22 people per hour every hour they are open or 154 people per day. So on days where they only have 40 to 50 visitors, other days the library would need to host 230 to 240 visitors — absolutely ridiculous. Library programs listed on the library website show a maximum of 30 for most events.

The pamphlet circulated lists 393 different programs with 6,255 visitors. Who are these people? Rimbey has only 2,400 people, more than half of which probably don’t use the library. Three hundred and ninety-three programs offered, how misleading is that?

The pamphlet shows only 10 main programs. Checking with Bentley, Forestburg, Killam and Sundre libraries, most have at the maximum four or five programs per month, with up to nine events a month — that would be 108 events in a year, not like Rimbey’s 393. Incredible. Taxpayers pay the library’s operational costs. Vote No.

The 2012 Rimbey library official calendar shows, 10 programs identifying 142 events, 75 per cent of those events listed below are taken just from the preschool program for children under the age of six years.

Many of the library events show a maximum occupancy of 30, many show less than that. Even if all 142 events had 30 people in attendance that only shows 4,260 users. Where did the number of 37,674 come from?

1.Book Club meets at the library 11 events

2. Children’s Story time pres-school 105 events accounts for 75 per cent of all programs targeted a children under 6

3. Children 6 and up activities 7 events

4. Movie Night (Conoco Phillips) $2 11 events

5. Armchair Traveler (adult) 2 events

6. Wine Tasting (adult $30 to $40 max 20) 2 events

7. Literary Cafe (adult) 1 event

8. Police Dog demonstration 1 event

9. Mother Daughter Tea 1 event

In the newspaper, librarian Jean Keetch said moving to the Co-op at $60,000 per year is too expensive. I spoke to a Co-op board member who indicated they would look at an offer of $50,000. The Co-op includes utilities, which Keetch needs to budget $36,000 for at the town office, so rent would only be $14,000 a year. And the Co-op pays taxes. There’s good parking and everyone in the community goes to the Co-op at least once a week and would pass right by the library door.

It was suggested to purchase a building for the library and have it paid for in 10 years or less by the amount of money that council will be throwing away on rent. Why would the mayor make a statement that he wouldn’t help the library buy that building, because it would affect the town’s borrowing? It’s OK to waste $360,000 in 10 years on rent but not OK to have the library own its own building? Never mind giving the library a $650,000 town office for $1 and then they need to renovate it for $500,000. Moving into a new building on Main Street would save Rimbey taxpayers $789,999. Vote No.

The unofficial referendum that was advertised in the Rimbey Review showed 89 per cent of voters wanted the town office left where it is. Council had 29 per cent support, half of those supporting council did not support moving the town office.

Why did town council really rule a petition signed by more than 450 electors of Rimbey invalid? Because they didn’t want to deal with a binding referendum. Does the mayor and council have other objectives?

The Rimbey library board listed on the library’s website should hold the managing director of library services accountable; they should either fire the library director; or all resign. If you know any of these board members, call them and ask them where they checked their thinking processes? Why doesn’t the library get a cost recovery on programs from users?

Vote No.

Dave Karroll