Please pay attention to what’s going on in Kittery. After all it is your town.
Library Building Options Workshop Scheduled for Saturday April 22nd
Printer-Friendly Version
LIBRARY BUILDING OPTIONS WORKSHOP SCHEDULED
The Town of Kittery’s Library Working Group will be hosting the first of two public workshops to gather input from Kittery residents on the preferred solution for the Rice Public Library’s future building needs. The first workshop is being held on Saturday, April 22, 10AM at the Traip Academy Gymnasium. All are welcome to attend. The program should last approximately 90 minutes.
The workshop will begin with a brief overview of the building site options being considered for the Library. Participants will be presented with concept-level building site options; have the opportunity to discuss each option with members of the Working Group; and then “vote” on their preferred option.
The options being presented include 1) continue operating in the Rice Public Library and Taylor buildings; 2) consolidate operations into an expanded and rehabilitated Rice Library building; and 3) construct a new building on the Kittery Community Center campus along Rogers Road. Each option will be presented with concept-level advantages and disadvantages. Participants will also be able to identify other options not presently being considered.
This is the first of two workshops. The second workshop is tentatively scheduled for Saturday, May 13, 10AM at the Kittery Community Center. The program for the second workshop will be consistent with the first workshop and offers an opportunity for more people to participate. An online survey will also be provided for those wishing to weigh-in outside of the workshop setting. More information on the survey will be available in the coming weeks.
The Library Working Group seeks to identify and present Kittery voters with a solution for the Rice Public Library’s future building needs. Guided by a shared list of desired attributes, developed by the 2016 Library Committee, the Working Group will present to the Town Council the option that meets the Library’s building needs and represents the residents’ preferred option. The Working Group represents a cross-section of key stakeholders: Rachel Dennis and David Harris, Rice Library Board of Directors; Lee Perkins, Rice Library Director; Steve Workman, Kittery Community Center Board of Directors; Janice Grady, Kittery Community Center Director; Jeff Pelletier and Judy Spiller, Kittery Town Councilors; Kendra Amaral, Kittery Town Manager; and D. Allan Kerr and Russell White, citizen representatives. They expect to complete their work by the fall of this year and have a preferred option to present to the Town Council for a non-binding referendum for the November election.
For more information about the Working Group or the upcoming workshop please contact Kendra Amaral at 207-475-1329 or at kamaral@kitteryme.org.