North Shore Library

In December, the Glendale Common Council voted to give Bayside and the North Shore Library until the end of June to provide financial plans for relocating the North Shore Library from its current location in Glendale to a new development in Bayside on Brown Deer Road and Port Washington Road. We are getting updates periodically on their progress fund raising. We have also seen the vision for the new library from  their architectural firm.

In case this doesn’t work out, Glendale is reviewing the feasibility of having our own library either at a building on Green Bay Road or one on Jean Nicolet Road. Residents would need to pass a funding referendum for us to take next steps.

For those in my district, I’m collecting feedback by going to random doors and via the linked survey.

Bayside option

The North Shore Library could move to a new development in Bayside. See news article, proposal, Bayside TIF plans, and architectural vision presented at our December 6 council meeting. We have specifics about the new agreement which has been approved by the other communities and tentatively approved by Glendale. We await capital financing details yet from Bayside for what Glendale’s obligation would be before we finalize, expected perhaps at the December 21 meeting.

Pros of moving to bayside

• Glendale would not need to increase costs to taxpayers and pass a referendum to approve operational and capital expenses (added taxes) to support our own library. Per our Library Committee Survey there is support for added funding, though a survey audience is different than that of a full voter referendum.

• Bayside has indicated they are attempting to cover the full cost of the library building and renovation through various funding sources; no Glendale contribution is my expectation. So far we have heard they have secured the building space, though still need to fund raise $4 Million to do internal build out.

• Glendale would be able to sell (estimated value $1,500,000) or lease the land (estimated rent / year is $200,000) and have approximately $11,000/year in tax revenue to lower taxes for others.

• Calculating over a ten year period, with the 5% community flat contribution and sale of the property, Glendale would have an additional $175,000 / year to spend on other services. This is a reduction of 36% off the current cost to maintain a library over that time. Over a 30 year period, which better distributes the benefit of the land sale, we would see $77,000 / year savings or a reduction of 16%. Removing the property sale from the equation we see about 3% to 4% savings annually.

• The layout will likely be more conducive for a library with green space outside and first floor access all around. The current library has no green space and is mostly underground. The Bayside space is listed as 20,000 square feet while the current library is 16,000. In comparison the new Brown Deer Library is about 25,000 square feet (based on plans discussed in 2018). Of course if we were to go it alone we have full control of size depending on the building selected or new construction.

Cons of moving to bayside

• The library will no longer be in Glendale. Convenient location was the 2nd most important factor for a library per our Library Committee Survey, following collection. Not to mention having a Library in the City brings some level of prestige to our community.

• The Milwaukee County library system recommends an even larger library for our combined population. More like 35,000 square feet.

considerations

• Glendale provided the land and rent for the last 35 years. It is only fair that we get our property back to sell if we move, and should not have to pay towards capital costs due to our prior contribution.

• What flat percentage is ‘fair’ to join. Glendale was asking to have 10% in the last agreement. At the tentatively approved 5% agreement, Glendale would save approximately $17,500 year compared to today’s contribution with the other communities paying in more to make up the balance.

• Is it really ‘fair’ to have the costs be distributed by population if half of Glendale’s library usage (2017 statistics) is already not at the Northshore Library? Moving to Bayside will only further push residents to use neighboring Whitefish Bay, Brown Deer, and Milwaukee libraries. Those libraries do get some funding from the federated library system for our resident usage so in a sense we are paying already to use those locations as well.

• How nice must the Bayside library be to make it worth going there vs. a location we could have right here in Glendale?

• How nice must a new library in Glendale be to justify the added costs of going it alone?

• What amount of cost savings justifies not having the library in Glendale.

New Glendale Location option

Based on estimates the City had planned to put two million into renovation of the current location under the current agreement, and could sell the current location for $1.5 million, so we would have planned on equal terms about three million dollars to invest in another option.  We would need to find a way to end our lease agreement with the North Shore Library to sell the property, which may not happen willingly resulting in us keeping that property at nearly no rent for 15 years.

Building a standalone new library would likely cost perhaps ten million dollars. Operating costs would be slightly over one million dollars per year using the current location as a reference. A survey done by our Library Review Committee indicated a willingness to pay more taxes via referendum to cover the costs to have our own Library, though not at the costs forecasted. 40% were willing to pay up to $75, 34% were willing to pay up to $150 more, 3% were willing to pay $250 more, and 23% were not willing to pay any higher taxes. To fund our own library we would need to raise taxes about $180 per year for a $250,000 home for 20 years, then it would drop down to $75 per year in current dollars thereafter. This assumes no fund raising.

Building our own Library was the Library Committee’s recommendation, though that was before we had cost estimates or a Bayside option. Two locations were recently proposed for a library in Glendale, one on Green Bay Ave and one Jean Nicolet Road.

The Green Bay Ave location is more centrally located to the residential properties on the north end of town, though is not connected via sidewalks or a bus route. Perhaps that could be addressed as part of the capital funding. It is also down the road from the Brown Deer location, about five minutes away. Parking is ample.

The Jean Nicolet location is close to the old location, though still rather far west in the City. It is not on a bus route, though has a sidewalk and is just down the road from Nicolet High. Students can get MCFLS books regardless at the school library, though this could be a good place to go to study. Lots of parking.

A financial comparison Mayor Kennedy collected follows, albeit very high level given the limited details on the two alternate locations at this time.

Same Glendale Location Option

Our current agreement, until the 3 year notice ends in 2023, will continue unless the North Shore library ceases to exist.  The other communities are similarly obligated to continue to fund the library until they give a similar notice of leaving then remain for 3 years. Bayside has voted similarly to withdraw, while Fox Point and River Hills have taken no action.

Interesting facts, given how spread out Glendale is, metrics from 2017 on check outs show Glendale residents already use other libraries in the area significantly.  The North Shore library was used about half of the time while 14% of check outs were from Whitefish Bay, 7% from Milwaukee Central, and about 3% from both Brown Deer and Shorewood.  From where I live in the 5th District of Glendale, the Brown Deer, Whitefish Bay, and Villard locations are all within 1½ miles from my home while the North Shore Library is about half that.  Still, Brown Deer’s newly renovated location is only a minute longer drive. Those who live further south in our City are much closer to Villard or Whitefish Bay. See map below of neighboring libraries.

Taking a larger view, usage of Milwaukee County Libraries overall during the past three years, not taking into consideration which location, was 44% of Glendale residents, 46% Fox Point, 42% Bayside, and 36% River Hills.

Given the other communities lack of interest in adjusting the funding formula in the current location or even staying there now, and Glendale residents desire to improve our library service via a new library, this option does not seem feasible.

No Library Option

Why not just use Milwaukee, Brown Deer, Whitefish Bay, and potentially a Bayside location without paying? Well, by state law Glendale would still need to pay about $900,000 based on our current usage into the Milwaukee County Federated Library System.

For that cost we have better options.

Join with Brown Deer Option

This was discussed back in 2018 when there was no Bayside option and we were considering having the full set of North Shore Library communities join with Brown Deer. At that time there was no appetite from the other North Shore communities to consolidate. I remember the Council at that time still had hoped for a new agreement, and most residents were not comfortable with essentially ‘losing’ a library. If Glendale were to explore this now without the other communities, the remaining North Shore library would have half the operational funding and may not be viable.

Regardless, Glendale residents, and us namely in the 5th District can use it regardless. Looking back at the 2018 agenda item, Glendale used the North Shore Library about 50% of the time in 2017 with Whitefish Bay usage being 2nd at 14%. Brown Deer was only 3% at the time. With the Brown Deer Library having now moved closer to Glendale, and being newly renovated, it would be interesting to see how this changes moving forward regardless of the other options.

vote to withdraw

Monday, August 24, 2020, the Glendale Common Council had an open session agenda topic if Glendale should give the required three-year notice to leave the North Shore Library. We had been discussing the library for some time, mostly in closed session due ongoing negotiations with the other partner communities, though something of this nature needed public visibility and input, which is also why I am sharing this rather long overview with you.   

In short, it was unanimous, we voted to withdraw.

We got where we are for no lack of trying to compromise earlier.  I can say from my discussions with our City staff that they have bent over backwards to try to make something work.  I have personally contributed to the North Shore Library Foundation funds earmarked for renovation for a number of years, so I can say it was not our preferred option. Here’s how we got there.

History

Many do not realize that the current library is a joint venture, so to say, between Glendale, Fox Point, Bay Side, and River Hills.  Another fact many do not realize is that Wisconsin law requires each community to have a library or pay a fee supporting other community libraries residents may use. This is a key reason the North Shore library was created, to pool resources and fund our own library rather than pay a higher aggregate fee to the State. It would cost Glendale taxpayers about $900,000 per year to not have a library and pay the State, versus about $480,000 to pay operating costs for the North Shore Library.

Here’s more history on how the Library came to be, though admittedly it is before my time here in Glendale. In 1985, Cardinal Stritch sold a parcel of land in Glendale to a developer with a stipulation that 20,000 square feet of the resulting office building would be donated to the City of Glendale for community use.  The current library is about 16,000 square feet. This land became the BVK Building on Port Washington Road.  The City of Glendale invested in that area with added infrastructure and other improvements to make that development agreement a reality. That development agreement ended 10 years ago, as did the requirement that the space be used for community purposes. 

To fund the ongoing operations of a library, in 1986, a joint library agreement was signed by the member communities indicating the City of Glendale leased the current space for $1 per year for 50 years to the North Shore Library, Fox Point would provide fiscal agent services, Bayside would provide books and infrastructure, while River Hills provided ‘goodwill’, which I interpret as fund raising and such support.  Ongoing costs were divided by population between the communities.  Here are some recent dollar amounts: Glendale $470,416; Fox Point: $247,625; Bayside: $162,194; River Hills: $58,713.  You can see this varies greatly as does our respective populations and proximities to the library.  Using library card usage numbers from June, 2019, population varied from population by community. Glendale paid 51% based on population though had slightly less than that card usage at 50%. Fox Point paid in 26% though used the library more, 30% of card usage. Bayside had 2% less usage than population, similar to River Hills at 1% less usage. One can see here which community is getting the best deal.

Come 2012, the North Shore Library Board wanted to relocate. The other three partner communities asked that Glendale pay our proportional share for funding the new building as well as sell the space at the current location and use those funds (estimated at over one million dollars) towards the new facility.  This is like asking Glendale to pay twice. A new location was not approved, yet some additional space in the existing building was purchased at that time using joint library funds.     

Jump ahead to 2015, and mostly unknown to the other communities, Fox Point asked to be paid for performing the bookkeeping services, and the Library Board agreed. Fox Point then started receiving about $14,000 per year, paid for by the other communities, for work outlined in the initial agreement as their contribution in partnership.  Note, Glendale was still providing the space for $1, when the rental value is estimated to be more than $200,000 per year.  The city of Glendale also does not collect taxes from the Library which would itself be another $11,000 per year. Let’s not forget the upfront costs already expended to develop the area.

Prior Talks of rennovation & failed new Agreements

Now jump ahead to the last few years when the Library Board created a plan to renovate at the current location. Glendale budgeted $2 million dollars towards an estimated planned $4.8 million dollar renovation as part of our capital improvement budget. Other partner communities have not been as firm in their commitments. Given an investment like this would need to be bonded over a term longer than the current lease agreement, a new lease agreement is needed to ensure continuity. 

As part of those discussions, Glendale asked to finally get credit for the value of the space provided, like Fox Point had started getting for the bookkeeping services. Glendale proposed a fixed contribution amount, 10%, that would be contributed per community. The thought behind this is that the smaller communities also benefit from joining the joint library versus pay into the state. They also get board members to guide decisions, village names associated with the library, and a lower cost than doing it themselves. This is much like you pay a fixed cost to the electric or water utility to be hooked up, then you pay on top of that for use, in this case population. It is also rather standard in the other joint agreements in the North Shore. I do not think this was too much to ask given we have been providing space for 30 years at $1 rent and the development agreement restricting our use for community purposes has long expired.

Often, I hear my constituents say Glendale seems to carry other communities we partner with on joint services.  From what I understand, some communities in the current library agreement, namely Fox Point and River Hills, are perfectly happy asking Glendale to double pay for a renovation, or keep getting free rent and in Fox Point’s case, subsidized use under the guise of population being a fair measure alone.  They conveniently ignore the value Glendale is otherwise providing.  Why would they agree with any change when things are already greatly in their favor and they can continue to use the library regardless?     

Glendale has been objective in establishing what rent should be, providing a quote from a broker ($15 / square foot).  Staff also presented an option where we could collect on an amortized basis only the rent after the nearly ‘free’ period from 2036 through the end of the new agreement term. This effectively upholds Glendale’s 50 year lease terms within the new agreement. I also understand options such as a ramp up over five years was also explored to smooth the increase to the other communities. In response to these options, we have gotten two years of mixed messages and a counter proposal on rent terms as low as 25% of what we received from our broker without any data to back it up.  That does not seem to be good faith negotiations.  What further response did Glendale have other than to withdraw.  

Bayside & Other Location Distances

Map route to both locations from my home.

Current Location - 5 minutes by car - 10 minutes by bike
Bayside Location - 7 minutes by car - 20 minutes by bike
Brown Deer Location - 6 minutes by car - 18 minutes by bike