City council favors new downtown library
Good morning! Williamsburg city council expresses support for $26 million downtown library, will look at borrowing another $15 million to regional sports center.
Williamsburg’s city council members are set to vote Thursday on borrowing an additional $15 million for the $80 million regional sports center. At their work session Monday, council members also expressed support for building a new downtown library for more than $26 million.
But they seemed more skeptical of a proposal to raze 122 acres of trees at the city reservoir to accommodate a solar farm.
According to the motion city council will consider later this week, Williamsburg will be responsible for ensuring repayment of an additional $15 million bond to cover the costs of completing and equipping the sports center.
Williamsburg initially agreed to pay $2.5 million a year of the original debt to build the sports center, and the Historic Triangle Recreational Facilities Authority pays $1.5 million a year. James City and York counties, which along with Williamsburg make up the regional authority, committed to paying varying amounts of subsidies for operating the center, from $400,000 to $800,000 each depending on the year.
At their work session Monday, city council members heard from nearly a dozen residents on the proposed new library. Most of them spoke in favor of the project, and many of those in support have been involved with the library at some time.
City resident Robert Wilson, who has been outspoken about the city’s growing debt, was one of the two people to speak out against the plan.
He warned the city could be stuck with additional costs now that James City County is renegotiating its agreement to pay for the regional library system. County residents make up the majority of users at the libraries.
He also warned about the obligations the new bond for the sports center would create for the city.
Supporters said a downtown library generates traffic for city restaurants and other businesses, and provides community benefits including important moral support for senior citizens.
A spokesman for Hourigan + Tymoff Moss architects, which is leading the library effort, told the council the only way to cut costs significantly would be to leave out a new auditorium and meeting spaces to build in a later phase.
But that did not sit well with Mayor Douglas Pons, who said this “would certainly not achieve our aims.”
“It’s time to make a decision… for me it’s to move forward to build the library,” Pons added. Although no vote was taken, the other four council members also agreed.
The council members expressed more doubts about a proposal from Cenergy, a solar power company, to lease 122 acres near the Waller Mill Reservoir for $5.8 million over 15 years to generate solar power it would sell to Dominion Energy.
Pons, Vice Mayor Pat Dent and council member Stacy Kern-Scheerer expressed concern that clear cutting trees that provide protection for the watershed could endanger the city’s only water supply.
“We’ll be in touch,” Pons told Cenergy officials who attended via Zoom.
The city council meets Thursday at 2 p.m. in the Stryker center to approve the sports center financing, among other items.
The Virginia Racial Healing Institute will be hosting its 6th Annual Heal Williamsburg/Heal the Nation Community Forum this weekend, focusing on biracial marriages.
The forum, to be held this Sunday from 1-4 p.m. Nov. 15, will examine the challenges of interracial marriages and raising biracial children.
The group said a donation from Sentara Health will pay for the forum activities, which include lunch, arts and crafts and a community forum.
Led by Ms. DeVeria Gore, a Virginia Racial Healing Institute Executive Board member, the forum will feature panelists who will share their unique personal perspectives. A question and answer period will follow.
Panelists for the community forum include:
● Dr. Timothy Barko, Chair of Science Department, Walsingham Academy
● Angelia Kane, Emmy award-winning producer and co-owner of historic Jolly’s Mill Pond
● Prell Gross, Certified Counselor and Co-owner of Peace ‘In ‘It Counseling
● Dr. Eileen O’Brien, Professor of Sociology, William and Mary
The event will be held at the Stryker Center, 412 N Boundary Street .The event is free, but registration is required. To register at Event Brite.
State news briefs
Virginia pauses state food aid as partial SNAP payments are to resume amid shutdown
Kaine breaks with Democrats to back deal ending shutdown, securing protections for federal workers
Weekend fun & games
Broadway Divas. Nov. 13. 7:30 – 9:30 p.m. Williamsburg Symphony $75 adults/$45 students and children.
Pocahontas Reframed Film Shorts. Nov. 13. 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. Arts Museums of Colonial Williamsburg.
Williamsburg Players: Rehearsal for Murder. Nov. 13-16. $22 adults, $12 children.
Broadway Dance Arts: It’s A Wonderful Life. Nov. 15. 5 p.m. - 6:30 p.m. Kimball Theater.
Legends Lacrosse Chrome Classic. Nov. 15-Nov. 16. Warhill Sports Complex.
Scandinavian Christmas Bazaar. Nov. 15.9 a.m. – 3 p.m. 4897 Longhill Rd., Williamsburg. Free.
Yorktown Market Days - Harvest Festival. Riverwalk Landing, Yorktown. Nov.15. 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. Free
Passings
Dr. Christina C Clarke, 81, Nov. 4.
Florence E. Staples,100, Nov. 5.
Veronica Krystel Sánchez Ocasio, 42, Nov. 7.
Reba Swann Thomas, 96, Nov. 7.
Margaret Bateman Via,99, Nov. 8.
John Patrick Carey III, 79, Nov. 8.
There are two libraries being planned within 3.5 miles of each other The one you refer to is the library annex to the government center that James City County plans to build. The one in this story will replace the downtown Williamsburg library on Scotland Street. That proximity is what led some critics to question the need for both facilities
I thought the library was supposed to be built into the new city government center. This spending spree is getting out of control.