Library bill tabled

From Stuart Gosswein of the Committee of 100 on the Federal City:

At Tuesday's hearing, the DC Council's Committee on Education, Libraries and Recreation voted to table Bill 16-734, the "Library Transformation Act of 2006." The vote was three to table (Barry, Gray, Schwartz) and two opposed (Patterson, Mendelson).

In all likelihood, this means the bill has been defeated. The deadline to introduce emergency legislation in the Council to bypass the Committee has expired. The only other mechanism to revisit the bill would be to have one of the three Councilmembers who voted to table the bill change their vote before December 5. We don't anticipate that happening but will be standing guard...

Many thanks to all who helped devise a successful strategy, provided guidance, wrote e-mails to Councilmembers, etc. Your time and efforts were most appreciated and, at the moment, rewarded. ...

Our immediate next mission will be to watch for any press coverage that does not explain why the old Convention Center site was inappropriate and counter it (with a letter to the editor, etc.). Beyond that, we want to make the affirmative case for renovating MLK as soon as possible and continue to explore the many ways the building can be further enlivened and transformed. For example, it may be useful to hold a charrette to expand upon the 2000 AIA/DC study. We will keep you informed as plans move forward and we will once again asking for your assistance and support. We will also be reaching out to the former opposition -- those who worked diligently toward their vision of a 21st Century library on the old CC site -- in an effort to collectively achieve the best central library possible for DC.
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Don't think that this project is dead. The Growth Machine (in DC led by the Federal City Council) maintains an inexorable forward momentum for their projects.

Index Keywords: libraries