The state Board of Education today will discuss $36 million in capital improvement projects for the Hawaii State Public Library System, including new libraries in Keaau and Waikoloa.
The Keaau-Mountain View Library would receive an additional $10 million if the current budget is approved by Gov. Josh Green.
A project plan was released last month for the library, favoring a 13,900-square-foot structure at Keaau Middle School on 1.7 acres of land.
“This is an additional $10 million to add to the current $10 million appropriation that was provided by the Legislature in a previous fiscal year,” said State Librarian Stacey Aldrich in a memorandum for the meeting. “We now have a total of $20 million to complete the project. Final design is expected to go out for bids by the end of 2023.”
The Waikoloa Library would receive $13 million to finish its conceptual design, environmental analysis and to start the initial construction.
“The $13 million appropriation represents a little more than half of what we will need for construction of this new library,” Aldrich said. “As we progress with the design phase, we will have a better budget estimate for Representative David Tarnas (of North and South Kohala) to make an additional funding request next legislative session.”
Waikoloa’s closest public library is in Waimea nearly 17 miles away, although Friends of the Library Waikoloa Region currently operates a bookmobile to fill the void.
“The Hawaii County Council passed a resolution authorizing a 65-year, no-cost lease for a two-and-a-half-acre lot within the Hawaii County Kamakoa Nui subdivision, which is right at the end of Paniolo Avenue,” Tarnas said Wednesday about the library’s proposed location. “It will really be an anchor for the community to establish itself in the area, and the housing will grow up around it.”
In addition to the $13 million included in the budget, roughly $1.9 million was set aside by former Gov. David Ige to start the design process.
“(Gov. Josh Green) just released the $1.9 million for the design of the library, that just came out this week,” Tarnas said. “We’re going to continue with this process, with the design, meeting with the community, come up with the plans, and then we’ll have a much firmer cost estimate for construction.”
Tarnas said he initially requested $22 million for the project total.
“The money committee said we’ll give you $13 (million) now, and you finish the plans and designs. Then once you’ve figured out a much firmer cost estimate for construction, come back and ask for the rest,” he said. “It could be as much as $20 million or $22 million, I’m not sure, but I’m expecting to go back for at least another $7 million, if not more.”
Tarnas said the space also is being considered for multipurpose use, and hopes future community meetings can address different ideas.
“We’re in discussions with the school facilities agency to see if there’s a possibility of co-locating one of the public preschools in the facility,” he said. “I’m looking forward to the environmental assessment process, which will include community input, because everyone is eager to give their ideas on what the space will look like and how they want to use it.”
The BOE today also will discuss the Public Library System’s roughly $48 million proposed operating budget for 2024 and $50 million budget for 2025.
“Our budget requests for the fiscal biennium of 2023-2025 are focused on staffing, security and awareness,” Aldrich said in her memorandum.
Roughly $3 million has been requested for both 2024 and 2025 to go toward restoring 64 positions throughout the library system.
For Hawaii Island, requests also have been submitted for $55,800 annually to hire a new delivery driver and $48,228 annually to hire a new janitor.
The BOE also will vote today on the state librarian’s evaluation for the year.
To streamline the annual process, the Human Resources Committee has recommended an “Effective” cumulative rating overall, but can adjust based on committee input.
The BOE General Meeting will start at 1:30 p.m., and individuals can register to attend online at https://tinyurl.com/5caxtfnz.
Email Grant Phillips at gphillips@hawaiitribune-herald.com.