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| We've cut the ribbon! Now help us wrap up the loose ends! |
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Dream
The "Dream" was to build what we feel is a dream-come-true new library building. It wasn't that long ago that the staff and patrons of the Mt. Kisco Public Library were working out of a cramped and outdated building. The new building's predecessor no longer met the needs of the community or the definition of a modern, 21st Century technology-oriented reading and research municipal public library. The people of Mount Kisco -- especially our next generation of community leadership -- deserved and expected more.
The "Dream" was to build a library that would not be an extraordinary financial drain on our taxpayers. A campaign was launched to rally community support to pass an $8 million bond to build the new library. It passed handily with plenty of community and local media support. Shortly thereafter, the bulldozers, steam shovels, cranes and dump trucks rolled into town and construction was underway.
The "Dream" was to come in on budget.
| Reality
The Reality is that the new library building did cost more than originally anticipated. But for good reason. Two decisions were made after the bond issue was passed: First, hire a construction management company to make sure that the new library building got constructed and opened on-time. Second, install an environmentally-friendly geothermal heating and cooling system that would save the taxpayers a significant amount of money in the long run.
The Reality is that these additional expenditures are costing the Village about $1 million more in construction costs. These are priority expenditures and paying for them have taken precedence over some of the "shinier" or "softer" items, including longer library hours, brand new furnishings, more programming, and "perqs" considered essential to a cultured community such as Mount Kisco. So in tough economic times, first things first: Keep the lights on, the staff employed, the library doors open for as many hours as possible, the day-to-day bills paid, and the long-term debt to a minimum.
Your contribution to the Foundation for the Mount Kisco Public Library, today, will help the library in the short-term and allow the Foundation to keep giving, in the long term.
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Please Get Involved!
1) Contact the Foundation about becoming an active member of this important community organization.
2) Volunteer your time and expertise to help the Foundation realize its financial goals.
3) Underwrite a Library Registry item or keep the building going by participating in our Buy-A-Brick campaign. Your donation will go much further than these symbolic but important naming opportunities and your generosity will be recognized for generations to come.
4) Sponsor special programming. Are you a patron of the arts? Are you an artist, yourself? Tell us about your special talents.
5) Organize your family, friends and neighbors to help the Foundation realize all of its goals.
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