A group of concerned Renton citizens is planning a protest at the King County Library Board of Trustees’ meeting Tuesday night in Newcastle.
The Save the Renton Library Again! group is unhappy with KCLS’ conceptual plans for a new downtown Renton library over the Cedar River. Representatives from the 25-member group are planning to attend the board meeting at 4 p.m. and raise their concerns during the public comment period of the meeting.
The board meeting is at the Newcastle Library, 12901 Newcastle Way, Newcastle.
The group is upset because it feels KCLS is ignoring the public’s wishes for the design of the new library by proposing a smaller building and moving the main entrance from its current location on the pedestrian foot-bridge to near the parking lot, according to a group member.
“I just think if people knew that they have not kept faith with us, they would be furious,” said Beth Asher, member of the citizens’ group.
Asher said the group hopes to get the KCLS Board of Trustees to halt any further presentations on the project until the trustees investigate the actions of KCLS that the group maintains has operated in “bad faith,” according to Asher.
The group is basing its stand on documents from public information requests it has submitted to KCLS and concerns it has about the project.
The citizens want the downtown library where it currently sits and they want to keep it at its current size, Asher said.
“A big library is really critical for Renton because we are really diverse,” Asher said.
Digitizing materials, as in making them available online as KCLS has proposed, she said, isn’t an option for everyone because not everyone has the technology to use those materials.
Fewer physical materials in the downtown library has been one reason given for a smaller space.
The Save the Renton Library Again! group has also taken other steps to convey its concerns about the project. Members have submitted information to the Washington State Auditor’s Office in the hopes that the information is included in upcoming audits of KCLS.
The group also plans to continue to attend Renton City Council meetings to explain its frustrations, encourage others to write the KCLS Board of Trustees and turn in tips to the state auditor. Members have been referred to a legal aide by state legislative representatives and are even trying to engage King County Council members on the issue, although the issue is not in their jurisdiction.
“We’re just pursuing every avenue we can,” said Asher.
The long-term goal of the citizens’ group is to challenge the legislation that enables KCLS to have no oversight in the construction projects, she said.
Asher is critical of the library system’s planning and said she believes that KCLS has had cost overruns on nearly all of its construction projects. Asher blames the City of Renton for its lack of fiduciary responsibility.
KCLS will host an open house for the public from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m., March 26, at the downtown Renton Library, 100 Mill Ave. S. Representatives from the Miller Hull Partnership, KCLS and the City of Renton will be on hand to hear comments and answer questions.
Library Director Bill Ptacek has expressed his eagerness to get feedback from the public as the process enters the schematic design phase during which the public and Renton City Council can provide input.
“We believe it’s a very transparent process and we want to show people where we are right now,” said Ptacek in an interview with the Renton Reporter about the upcoming open house.
The project team will seek to understand public concern and figure out solutions to address those concerns, Ptacek said.
