The Future of Rose Memorial Library: Stony Point Supervisor Jim Monaghan and Library Director Alice Meacham Discuss Prop 2.

Stony Point Town Supervisor
Jim Monaghan

As your Town Supervisor, I want to ensure that residents have a clear understanding of the implications of the proposed increase in funding for the Rose Memorial Library. This significant funding request, which will appear as a referendum on the upcoming election ballot, could lead to a notable increase in your Town taxes.

The referendum will read:

“SHALL THE ANNUAL CONTRIBUTION OF THE TOWN OF STONY POINT FOR THE OPERATING BUDGET OF THE ROSE MEMORIAL LIBRARY ASSOCIATION BE INCREASED BY $1,100,000 TO THE SUM OF $1,425,000 ANNUALLY?”

To put this into context, a “YES” vote would support increasing the library’s budget from its current $325,000 to $1,425,000-a substantial rise. A “NO” vote would be a vote against the budget increase. The library has expressed that these funds are necessary to demolish the existing building and construct a new 10,000 square foot facility on the .23 acre parcel at 79 E. Main Street. However, no plans have been submitted to the Town Building Department or land use boards regarding the proposed construction. Given the Town’s current zoning laws, the proposed structure would require multiple approvals and variances, as it doesn’t meet the existing requirements for a building of this size.

For example:

Current zoning code requires a 2-acre lot and 100-foot setbacks to build a 10,000 square foot building. A 10,000 square foot building also requires about 65 parking spaces. The library currently has extremely limited parking and is intending to rely on the use of municipal parking lots on East Main Street and 9W. A decision that permits a 10,000 square foot building on .23 of an acre may establish precedent for future building applications in our town. If the increase to the library budget is approved and the new building cannot be constructed as planned, the law will still require the Town to fund the library budget increase (an additional $1.1 million) every year unless and until another petition is submitted and approved to modify the budget amount.

Here is an example of the financial impact of this proposal to homeowners, based on an assessed value of $65,000:

Homeowners in the Rose Memorial District would see a 166% increase in library taxes, raising their total annual library tax from $90 to $234. Homeowners in the Tomkins Cove District (who currently pay for two libraries) would see a 25% increase, raising their total annual library tax from $590 to $740.

I want to acknowledge that Alice Meacham, the Library Director, and the staff at Rose Memorial Library have done an excellent job providing valuable programs for both children and adults. While I understand the library’s desire to expand and enhance its services, I believe it is equally important that taxpayers have a full understanding of the fiscal impact before casting their vote. Please take the time to review this information carefully and consider how it may affect you and the community as a whole.

Rose Memorial Library Director
Alice Meacham

• Rose Memorial Library’s space has not been expanded since 1967 despite significant growth in the Stony Point community in the last 57 years. Its facilities are dated and crowded, and it is unable to provide many basic modern library services.
• Rose Memorial Library is the poorest funded library, per capita in Rockland County with $35.44 per capita in public funding. The next lowest is Finkelstein Memorial Library, with $62.48 per capita. The other 15 libraries in Rockland County all receive over $100 per capita.
• Rose Memorial Library currently receives ~84% less public funding than other libraries that serve similarly sized populations in Rockland County. Should Proposition 2 pass, that number would drop to ~48% less.

The New Library

• The team at Rose Memorial Library has been working on creating an affordable, efficient, accessible plan for a new library for over 25 years. This current proposal meets all of those criteria.
  • Affordable: It is the most economical comprehensive plan that has been considered. It also costs 25.5% less than the previous proposal in 2022.
  • Efficient: As it will be a new build, the space has been designed for maximum impact, sustainability, and efficiency in a minimal space.
  • Accessible: The plan is accessible on multiple levels. The new building would be fully ADA-accessible to a degree that is impossible in the current, cramped space. It also remains accessible for Stony Point residents the community as it falls within the area outlined in the Town of Stony Point Master Plan as the Town Center, so it is easy for many residents to bike, walk or drive to.
• The new library would be built on the land Rose Memorial Library owns outright at 79 East Main Street. The new building would be 8,901 square feet, divided over three floors.
  • The basement would feature a meeting room (available for community group rental when not in use for library programs); hands-on learning studio for cooking, crafts, and messy programs; and “Library of Things”, which would include items such as tools, outdoors equipment, cookware, musical instruments, and more, for checkout.
  • The ground floor would feature the main fiction library and a children’s room with floor to ceiling windows overlooking the community learning garden.
  • The second floor would feature a supervised teen room (the only space dedicated solely to teens in all of Stony Point); a local history archive; and study rooms available for use by library members.
  • The building would be fully ADA (American Disability Association) accessible and welcoming, with ramps in the front and back; ADA compliant, family-friendly single-stall bathrooms on every floor; and a full-sized elevator going to all three floors.
  • The whole building would have fast Wi-Fi and public computers will be available for use.
• In terms of parking, based on use and space, the library would require access to 34 off-street parking spaces. There are 49 off-street, publicly available spaces within a 2.5 minute walk of 79 East Main Street.

Funding Breakdown and Explanation

• When broken down, the funding request in Proposition 2 is $0.292 total per $1,000 of full market home value for homestead parcels. Homestead homes with the full market values below, would pay the following for the library beginning in 2025 (based on current assessed values & rates):
  • $100,000 = $28.43 annually or 54 ¢ a week
  • $200,000 = $56.85 annually or $1.09 a week
  • $300,000 = $85.28 annually or $1.64 a week
  • $400,000 = $113.71 annually or $2.18 a week
  • $500,000 = $142.13 annually or $2.73 a week
  • $600,000 = $170.56 annually or $3.28 a week
  • $700,000 = $198.99 annually or $3.82 a week
  • $800,000 = $227.41 annually or $4.37 a week
  • $900,000 = 255.84 annually or $4.92 a week
  • $1,000,000 = $284.27 annually or $5.46 a week
• After the initial increase of $1.1 million, Rose Memorial Library’s annual funding from the Town of Stony Point would remain fixed at $1.425 million annually until another return to the ballot for vote on increasing funding. Working with financial experts, Rose Memorial Library has a plan that would not require a return to ballot for an increase for at least ten years, as the current funding request includes: all costs related to constructing and furnishing a new building (including debt service payments, and contingency and escalation costs); facility operating costs; moving, facility rental, and storage during the construction period; and expanded library hours, services, and programming beginning in January of 2025.

Rose Memorial Library is following the standard process for libraries. Should the funding request on the November ballot be approved by Stony Point voters, the plan will then be taken to the Building Department and Land Use Boards to start a discussion and apply for the required variances. The Library and its team of experts are fully aware of certain zoning variances the new building would require and are confident that they are reasonable and justified.

Legal experts consulted by the library also note that granting such variances does not necessarily set a precedent.

Conclusion

Why is the Rose Memorial Library presenting this plan? It is simply the single most efficient, affordable, and accessible plan that has or will ever be presented for expanding Rose Memorial Library to a point where it can finally serve the Stony Point community at the level it both needs and deserves.