If you can make this meeting, please do.
I’m borrowing this post in its entirety from the Build Crozet Library site because it’s really important for Crozet*
Wednesday, March 28th
marks a significant day for each of the parallel tracks of library construction bids and Albemarle County budget talks.
1. 3:15 pm: The new Crozet / Western Albemarle Library construction bids will be opened in room 241 of the County Office Building.?There are a few of us hoping to attend; we’ll send out information (number of bids, estimated costs) when we have it. ? Albemarle County Office Building. (Photo via Wikipedia)
2. 6:00 pm: The Albemarle County Board of Superivisors will hold a public hearing on the advertised tax rate, at 76.2 cents, just under the equalized tax rate of 76.4 cents the Supervisors specified for building the budget. The BOS can set the 2012-13 tax rate at the advertised amount or lower, but not higher. The Board of Supervisors will listen to public comments at the hearing, then vote on the tax rate at their April 4th meeting.
The new Crozet / Western Albemarle Library has been mentioned in almost every story about the budget — fortunately, it’s included in the proposed budget. Please contact the BOS (again, if you have already); write, call or speak with your support. BOS contact information can be found here.
Please see this message from White Hall supervisor, Ann Mallek:
Please share with your listeners/readers my encouragement that they attend the hearing and share their thoughts on general or particular elements of the proposed budget. Speakers should prepare for a two minute as well as a three minute presentation. If there are many speakers signed up at the beginning, the hearing will run on a two minute allotment. Being able to prepare in advance is far better than editing while sitting in the auditorium. I know that from years of trying.
Thank you for your help. You are welcome to call if you have any questions.
This is a prime opportunity to provide public input to our County’s elected officials.
* Whether you support or don’t support the building of the Crozet Library, this meeting crucial. And for the record, I am in total and complete support of the County fulfilling their promise to Crozet, Western Albemarle and all those who use and depend on the library.
Thanks so much, Jim.
This meeting is no more or less crucial than any of the other ones. The issue has been beaten to death and the BOS already knows what it is going to do.
A new library/municipal building will be built in Crozet that the whole county
will have to suffer a tax increase for. What I find shameful is that they cannot freely admit the total cost of this project nor what they will do when their new street still remains empty…
Apparently the bids came back between $5. and 6.9 million. Of course that doesn’t include the purchase of the land and the site work that’s already been done.
Ed, maybe they couldn’t admit the total cost because they hadn’t receive the bids back.
http://www.newsplex.com/home/headlines/_Bids_Submitted_for_New_Crozet_Library_144765095.html
The 2012 budget includes roughly 6.5 million. The Bos should
freely admit what they have spent so far and add it to what they want right now. That number would clearly show why they want a county wide tax increase. The yearly operating costs should be in that total as well. Trying to force a Vol. Rescue Squad to charge for it’s services shows what overbuilding an
area will do for you. They are trying to compromise the founding principles of two fine organizations. The Municipal
Building/Library will have a higher cost than was ever imagined. Also, it is hard to have a “Historic” district with stuff
you just built…