BRADENTON BEACH – When discussing the future of the Tingley Memorial Library, city commissioners expressed opposing, and sometimes contentious, views about the continued use of the city-owned library building.
The operating expenses for the library, which opened in 1994, are still funded by the original bequest made by benefactor Beulah Tingley.
The city-owned building needs approximately $250,000 in repairs, according to Police Chief and Public Works Director John Cosby. The needed repairs include replacing the air conditioning system, repairing the front stairway and replacing the back stairway.
One option being proposed for the continued existence of the library is to have the city transfer ownership of the library building to the Bradenton Beach Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA), which would then fund the needed repairs.
“We haven’t decided one way or another. We will need another meeting to make a final decision,” Mayor John Chappie said during the April 2 city commission meeting.
Attending the meeting in place of City Attorney Erica Augello, attorney Nancy Meyer gave the following input to the mayor and commissioners: “If you’re interested in the structural rehabilitation of the building, it is a CRA goal to address smaller blighted buildings, so that’s something you can do. I think what needs to be determined is the best way to do it. There’s selling, there’s dedicating, there’s leasing. There’s all kinds of options for the building itself.”
Meyer noted the bequest is earmarked for library operations, not for repairs. CRA funds could be used to fund the repairs because the library building is located in the CRA district that extends from the south side of Cortez Road to the southernmost property lines along Fifth Street South.
“If you’re interested, and that’s the path you want to go, we can bring back the best options,” Meyer said regarding a potential transfer of ownership.
“Can we tear it down with that money?” Commissioner Robert Talham asked.
He suggested the building be razed and replaced with a parking lot. Meyer said the demolition of the building could be part of the CRA plan.
“The idea of making it a parking lot or tearing it down is shameful,” Commissioner Debbie Scaccianoce said. “This is the heart of this community and this library is being used every day. We should be talking about saving the library and I will fight tooth and nail to save it. The library can be fixed. Beulah Tingley did the bequeath because of her love of this city and her love of reading. Taking that out of our history and out of our city is absolutely ridiculous.”
Scaccianoce, who is the commission’s liaison to the library, said the library board was in the process of creating a letter seeking donations from the community.
“We need to be talking about saving this library. The repairs come from years and years of neglect. This library can be fixed,” Scaccianoce said.
She said the point of transferring the building’s ownership to the CRA would be to use CRA funds to make the needed repairs.
“To drain our funding?” Talham said.
“It’s not a drain. This is a community center. A CRA’s whole purpose is bringing the community together, and what better spot than a library?”
In early March, City Treasurer Shayne Thompson said the current balance in the library bequeath fund was $130,000. Last May, Thompson said the bequeath fund would likely be exhausted within three years.
During the April 2 meeting, Mayor John Chappie stated the money from the bequeath is running out and the needed repairs can’t be put off any longer.
“I’m in agreement with Debbie,” Chappie said. “I think it is an asset to the community. It hasn’t been utilized to its full extent. I think we need to try to do anything we can to save it.”
Commissioner Ralph Cole said some city taxpayers feel their taxes are high enough.
“What I’d like to see is when we come for the next meeting we have all the options and discuss them in front of the public and get some input,” Cole said.
Chappie said he would put the library discussion on the agenda for the April 16 meeting that starts at noon.
“Next week, I’m meeting with the county. They had originally stated they would help us with repairs of the building, especially with the stairs,” Scaccianoce said.
“The library is outdated. You’re not ever going to convince me that it’s not,” Talham said. “It’s going to suck money for the rest of my life and for my grandkids’ life. We need to come up with the money to serve this tiny community. How about a library bus and small library boxes throughout the Island that are maintained by the librarian? Or tear it down to build a new one.”
Cosby did not attend the April 2 meeting. Chappie said Cosby will attend the April 16 meeting and will bring cost estimates for the repairs needed.
PUBLIC COMMENT
“I’m on the board and we’re trying to come up with ideas,” Bradenton Beach resident Evelyn Stob said. “No library is an income-making facility. It does enhance the community.”
“There is such a sense of community in that library,” Bradenton Beach resident and library volunteer Diane Clemens said. “I think that tearing down the library obliterates the sense of community in this city. People come here because there is a sense of community and we have slowly but surely been rolling that sense of community back.”
The following day, the library board distributed a letter seeking the community’s financial support. To donate, please mail checks to 111 2nd St. Bradenton Beach, Fla. 34217.Donate online at www.zeffy.com/en-US/fundraising/repair-tingley-library; or online at the “Repair the Tingley Memorial Library” GoFundMe page.
CRA REGULATIONS
The Bradenton Beach CRA will expire in 2047.
According to the Florida Redevelopment Association website, “Any project or program a CRA wishes to undertake must be outlined in the Community Redevelopment Plan. The redevelopment plan is a living document that can be updated to meet the changing needs within the Community Redevelopment Area,”
Florida Statutes generally don’t allow CRA funds to be used to pay for the routine maintenance or ongoing operational expenses associated with a CRA project or program.
