City Council deals with library issues

Approves bid for temporary library remodel

When Porterville City Council returned to Open Session Tuesday and opened the oral communications segment — allowing members of the public an opportunity to address City Council on any matter of interest, whether on the agenda or not — one resident talked about the temporary library project.

“I feel this is a waste of insurance proceeds and should be used to build the new library. Porterville doesn’t need a temporary library. We have school libraries. We need a permanent library. Start making assessments and go ahead and build it,” she said.

Brock Neeley also commented through Zoom on the library.

“When are we going to get a city engineer who can actually do an assessment somewhat close to what reality is,” Neeley asked. “We don’t need to be spending time redoing bids and everything because our engineers can not get an estimate. This needs to end. It needs to end now.”

The library was discussed again under Scheduled Matters when the Council commented on the Library Needs Assessment and the determination of the next steps in the development process towards a new city library.

The Council directed city staff and the library facilities committee to look at such issues as security, the size of the new library, and its location.

City Council member Lawana Tate talked about the size of the conference rooms and reminded the Council the community will continue to grow.

Mayor Monte Reyes said one of the things that would alleviate grief is to take the things that aren’t really associated with the library and place those items, such as the laser cutter, the vent hood and the kitchen, at the bottom of the list.

“Things like the Café’, three new rooms with three new programs — they’re hard to digest,” Reyes said.

The outdoor area was also mentioned as it would be unknown until they know where the library will be built.

“The music room, the Maker place, the other place — just call them ‘Free Classroom,’” Reyes suggested. “When you start going into detail that’s putting the cart before the horse.”

It’s easier to consider once it’s shown in design, Reyes said, rather than building around it.

“My concern is the location of where this library is going to be,” Vice Mayor Martha A. Flores said. “And we have to start looking for that.”

Council member Kellie Carrillo said location hasn’t been discussed at all.

“I think that would be a good next step,” City Manager John Lollis said. “Get some ideas that won’t require a lot of other projects around it but come up with some ideas.”

If staff could provide some available possibilities, they can take it from there, Reyes said.

“I think for me, on behalf of the committee, I was going to clarify that the council would like that committee to make recommendations,” Carrillo said.

Stowe suggested letting the fire marshal of fire department on the committee be made aware of possible locations because it might not be accessible to a firetruck.

Bid results for the temporary library project were also discussed under Scheduled Matters.

It was brought out the engineer presented a $138,000 estimate. However when bids came in, it was in the amount of $177,362. With an additional appropriation of $47,234.

After a bit of discussion, Vice Mayor Flores made a motion to accept the bid from TMJ Construction, Inc.

Council member Stowe asked if the funds for the temporary library could be used for the permanent one.

“No. It’s a separate pool of funds, part of the recovery process,” Lollis explained and Patrice Hildreth, deputy city manager, agreed.

Stowe had also asked on the time frame of building a permanent library.

Lollis said it would need an assessment, design, at least a year of construction, and it would take from 5 to 6 years.

“The hope is, you won’t need all six years,” Lollis said and mentioned other factors from acquisition and demolition that might be needed, environmental and design.

But one thing he has been candid about, he said.

“What isn’t going to happen is, insurance is not going to pay for a 40,000 square foot facility when it was an 18,000 sq ft facility that was destroyed,” Lollis said.

Hildreth said he covered it well, adding they were definitely different pots of money.

“This is money eligible to be spent to get something up and running,” Reyes said.

The motion to award the bid to TMJ Construction, Inc. passed 5-0.

The temporary library will be located adjacent to Grocery Outlet. It could be open as soon as November.