Ashley Anderson, Sartell
The library in Sartell has been a bone of contention for quite some time. The information that has been presented to the community by the vocal minority has been skewed. It would surprise most people we are already paying for a library through the half-cent sales tax. The St. Cloud library is a multi-million dollar facility that is a 10- to 15-minute drive for most of our community.
At no point when voting for the half-cent sales tax did it ever include a promise of a library. The voting was for “community resource facilities which could include a branch library, community meeting rooms, senior center activity space, heritage or museum space, historic building and site preservation, and similar facilities.”
There is a laundry list of things Sartell residents want and need before another library is one of them. We should be celebrating the fact we are fortunate enough to be building and will have access to a community center. Instead we are already complaining about what it does not have.
I am proud of Mayor Nicoll, council member Lynch, and council member Hennes who have consistently responded using sound judgment and reasoning. They have also responded to what the majority of residents want rather than the loud minority.
In watching the council meeting from March 14, I was disappointed to see a couple of elected officials attempting to derail efforts to move forward with the community center due to its lack of inclusion of GRRL. I encourage those who feel the same way to speak up.
Building a library is not the most fiscally responsible decision our community can make, especially when we are paying for a library a mere 10-minute drive away.