Quick Poll

Now just two days away, which team do you think will win Sunday's Super Bowl – the New York Giants or New England Patriots?

Blogs

Angela McRae

Tea with friends

Deberah Williams

Everyday Finesse

Lorrie Lynch

Who's News

Published Wednesday, November 18, 2009 in Local

Senoia may end library deal with county

By Sarah Fay Campbell

The Newnan Times-Herald

Members of the Senoia City Council vented their frustrations about slow progress on the city's new library -- and the treatment of the city's representative on the Coweta County Library Board of Trustees -- at Monday night's council meeting.

Senoia Mayor Robert Belisle made a motion that the city immediately terminate its agreement with the Coweta County Library System, saying the library board is in breach of its agreement with Senoia.

Other council members wanted to give the library board and system Director Barbara Osborne-Harris a little more time to respond to a letter from the mayor.

The vote to immediately cut off funding failed 2-3, with Belisle and Councilman Bobby Graham voting in favor.

Councilman Larry Owens said he has no problem with the city canceling the agreement, but "I would prefer to wait until the first of the year and at least give it six weeks for some action on their part."

Belisle said the city has received no response from a letter he sent to Osborne-Harris. In the letter, dated Nov. 3, Belisle lays out some problems with Obsorne-Harris' treatment of the city's board member, Pat Eichorst.

According to the letter, "the city's representative specifically asked for information regarding the lease of the current building on Main Street. You denied her this information, stating the public has to pay for this information."

Belisle also says that "it has come to my attention that the representative appointed by the city has, on numerous occasions, had e-mails and phone calls that were not returned by you."

The letter was also sent to Coweta County Administrator Theron Gay and to County Commission Chairman Paul Poole, who represents the eastern portion of Coweta.

The city of Senoia has purchased the land for a new library and has donated it to the county. The Senoia area library will be built with a $1.2 million state grant and $500,000 from the Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax. The city of Senoia has also agreed to turn over approximately $200,000 in library impact fees.

During the negotiations last year for an agreement between the county library system and the city, Senoia was originally asked to pay $50,000 a year toward operation of the library. That amount was negotiated to $20,000. Belisle has argued in the past that Senoia residents already pay county taxes and that it doesn't make sense for city residents to have to pay more than county residents to get the same service.

The city has a representative on the library board because it is a funding agency.

"The only benefit to the city in this agreement is the representative and the information she can provide to the city council," Belisle says in the final paragraph of the letter. "The council views your actions of withholding information from the city-appointed representative as a breach of the agreement. In the future, if the city's appointee to the board is not treated appropriately and in a manner that is deserving of the position they hold, I will recommend that the city no longer contributes funding the library."

Eichorst was appointed to the board to replace City Administrator Richard Ferry. The term expires at the end of the year, and the city will need to appoint a new representative. Eichorst has asked not to be reappointed.

Belisle said he was told the board representative would help "move this project forward."

"Well, I tell you from where I sit, this project is not more forward than we were six years ago, five years ago," Belisle said. "The city has jumped through every hoop."

The city has approved three different sites for the library, turned over impact fee funding, donated property, and "we still are where we were five years ago," he said.

Until just a few years ago, the Senoia Library was funded solely by the city of Senoia. Then the county began to contribute about 10 percent of the yearly budget, Belisle said.

Then "without asking us if we wanted to, the county all of a sudden changes the whole operating structure of the library system, and puts us in a different situation."

Even so, "we still jump through the hoops. We still do what we're asked. We still do everything, but where are we?" Belisle asked.

"Someone needs to be held accountable, and I don't see where that is happening," said Owens. "When our representative doesn't have a say-so or asks for information and is not allowed to get it ..."

Owens said that another board member, appointed by the county, has also "asked for that information and is not given that information."

Councilman Maurice Grover said he's been told that the project could be put out for bid as early as January.

"How?" asked Belisle. No plans have been submitted for review by the city's Historic Preservation Commission. Approval of the design for historical compatibility -- as is required for all new structures in the city's historic district -- was part of the agreement between the library system and Senoia.

Councilman Jeff Fisher said he knows some Senoians who "would be absolutely perfect for this board in getting things to follow through."

And now that the county has taken over the library, "the level of service has decreased," Belisle said. "Staff has been cut, hours have been cut, and yet we pay twice."

"I sent a letter. A letter that has gotten no response. It's obvious to me ... they don't particularly care for us at the table," Belisle said.

"It's not that they don't care ... they don't want us there," said Graham.

"If there was a true desire to have that library built, that library would be under construction," Belisle said. The council began talking about a new police station and municipal courts facility "years after this library thing was started, with no funding source," he said. The station is now under construction, and Belisle said he expects it to be "completely finished before the first step is taken on the ground for this library."

City officials have held meetings with county officials. During the summer, Belisle said, they met with both Gay and Poole.

"There have been no significant changes despite the fact that changes were promised," Belisle said. "I mean ... how much effort do I have to put into telling somebody that there is a problem? Because believe you me, there has been a lot of effort put into trying to correct the problem" on the city's side, Belisle said.

Even so, "we're the only one who perceives a problem. The perception at the other end is there is no problem."

Comment On This Story

Times-Herald.com does not necessarily agree with the comments posted below. Responsibility of comments rests solely with the writer. Comments posted in ALL CAPS will be deleted.

Submission of a comment does not guarantee publication. Comments will be posted by a moderator after being scanned for abusive language, relevance, etc. See our Comments FAQ for more details.