Northern branch library off the table in Arlington Heights
Concerns over instability in Springfield and the desire not to raise property taxes led Arlington Heights Memorial Library officials to put the possibility of a northern branch on the shelf.
Since at least 2014, the library staff and consultants have studied the feasibility of opening a second location that would have allowed the library to expand services and alleviate crowding of conference rooms, parking lots and programs such as storytime.
But Tuesday night, the library board took a unanimous vote not to move ahead with opening a second location, endorsing a recommendation from the staff, though trustees left open the door to revisiting the branch idea and said they would look for other ways to improve service.
"In the end it comes down to the fact that the ongoing costs of operating a branch in the spaces currently available in the village would be too great, particularly under the shadow of the uncertainty of the state budget," said board President Debbie Smart.
It would have cost $740,500 to build out and furnish a branch location and $348,330 more in the first year to operate it - costs that are expected to increase with inflation over time, officials said.
The library enlisted the services of Brian Properties, a commercial real estate broker, to find a space of some 5,700 square feet north of Palatine Road to rent.
But it ultimately came down to the numbers, officials said.
Library Executive Director Jason Kuhl said it was always the intention to pay for a potential branch location out of reserve funds and the annual operating budget - not by taking out loans - while also holding the line on property taxes, as the library hasn't raised its levy in seven years.
The ongoing costs associated with operating the branch would have had a "significant" impact on the library's annual budget, Kuhl said, while discussion continues over a possible state-imposed property tax freeze. The library also has a number of building maintenance and infrastructure projects on the horizon, he said.
A number of trustees favored revisiting the possibility of a branch down the line. Trustee Carole Medal suggested a partnership between the library and park district to provide services to residents.
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