Despite public comments asking to move the library expansion forward, the issue is staying unresolved until at least April.
The decision to proceed with an expansion of the current Chapel Hill Public Library was prolonged once again at the Town Council meeting Monday night.
Council members debated whether moving ahead with a $16 million expansion without waiting to meet with Orange County commissioners was reasonable.
“I know it’s an emotional issue for those who are deeply committed and it’s frustrating that we haven’t moved forward,” council member Matt Czajkowski said.
“But I don’t see how we can strengthen our position with Orange County in the next month or two if we make the decision tonight to go forward.”
Recently, Orange County offered to contribute in the expansion by providing $250,000.
“If we can actually have a decent chance of getting a somewhat more equitable agreement with Orange County and get an extra $250,000, then we can address two issues,” said Czajkowski. “The library could remain free and we could have an extra $250,000 to spend towards an operating budget.”
Council member Laurin Easthom, who petitioned the council in January to charge non-Chapel Hill residents, again asked for consideration in the matter.
“It doesn’t make sense to me that we shouldn’t consider charging,” she said. “Even if we went through with the expansion, accepted county funds and decided not to charge, we never know if they’ll give us funds again.”
Yet town residents still emphasized the critical need for expansion.
“What’s our alternative?” said Karen Curtin, Chapel Hill resident. “To operate a facility that’s really too small for our community? That’s not a message we want to deliver.”
All five residents who presented at the meeting Monday felt the expansion was necessary.
“Sometimes having cake on the table is more important than how you’re going to slice it,” said George Cianciolo, president of the Chapel Hill Library Foundation.
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