Apathy Could Cost You $7.25 Million

August 14 was the first of many public information sessions held at the the purpose of which was to share the detailed plans that have been painstakingly produced for the expansion of the library building at a cost of $7.25 million. The announced cost per family household whose tax base assessment is currently $6,000 was $115 for the next 20 years. Those people are currently paying $178 for their library. This figure does not include operating costs of a building which would double in size. Three Southold residents attended this first meeting. The remainder, who barely filled one row of a basement room that had been called the basis of the need for this renovation, were employees and friends of the trustees.

On the few occasions that programs were held in this facility over the last few months, there appeared to be little need for expansion as only a handful attended. If one were to visit the website of the library, it would be clear and apparent that very few attend most events.  The new plans suggest multiple meeting rooms, some glass domed, to accomodate overflow crowds that are said to be currently using the facility.

After Cutchogue and Mattituck-Laurel libraries' successful embellishments, Southold Free Library Trustee David Fujita has said he now feels that "the time is right" for more than doubling the library's size. In 2008, the same proposal was put to the people, but because of the reality of the depth of the recession, the project was canned. But this is 2010 and with all of the bequeathed money just sitting there and fundraising bringing current funds on hand to almost the goal of $1.25 million, the Library, once again brings to us this same proposal hoping that we've been overcome by the success of stimulus packages and the Federal spending boom.

Why can our government not live within the constraints of their budget? Why, if one has a penny in the pocket does one feel that six more are needed to fulfill dreams of monument building? Believe it or not, there are communities in this country that have a balanced budget policy and refuse to engage in bonding the dreams of the few at their community's expense.

Apathy is the enemy here. Thursday, Sept. 30 is the next scheduled meeting to be held on and at the Library with the last to be Wednesday,  Oct. 6.  If Southold Town does not engage in this discussion and plan their lives around the Oct. 16 vote, this proposal will pass, just as similar plans have in our neighboring communities.