From Lee Fogarty, Springfield Library Department: We will be meeting with (Architect) Steve Jablonski in two weeks, to review preliminary furniture schemes and fabric samples, as well as a drawing of our interpretation of Annie Curran's House (the children’s reading room). We are also working with Kristin Brennan from "Gardening the Community" to plan a community flower garden for this summer. Neighborhood children will plant, maintain and sell the flowers at the local Farmer's Market.
Please contact me with any questions.
From Robert Warren, Springfield Law Department: The City is reviewing a request from the Urban League to reduce the use and occupancy fee established by the City, based on certain services that are being provided to the City/Library. As reported last week, the Urban League had informed our relocation consultant that the announcement of a replacement site was a couple of weeks away, pending conclusion of negotiations. The City is still waiting to receive the Urban League's notification of its plans for a temporary and/or permanent relocation site and its formal request to remain in occupancy at 756 State beyond its June 1st vacate date, pending finalization of its move and relocation claim.
Questions from former Library Commissioner McElwaine on this Update:
1) If the UL moves to a temporary site and then to a permanent site, will the Springfield Library Foundation have to pay for TWO relocations? (Surely they are only entitled to one move at the expense of the SLF.) [Springfield Library FOUNDATION is separate from the Library Department; the Foundation was established to manage money donated to the Library – particularly the Anne Curran Fund, which can be used only for the Mason Square branch library. – Note added by Kat Wright.]
2) What specifically are the "services that are being provided to the City/Library" by the UL?
3) How long will the city wait to receive the UL's "notification of plans, etc." and a "formal request to remain" in 765 State Street before taking further action?
4) Since "a couple" generally means "two," we should know by next week's update where the UL will be moving, right?