Motion to Reconsider New Main Branch Library Project turned down in 6-5 Recorded Vote

By Casandra Turnbull

There were some heated discussions in Council Chambers this week all surrounding the fate of the New Main Branch Library project.

It all started on Tuesday during a regular Council meeting. Paris Councillor John Bell presented a Notice of Motion to reconsider a decision made by council in June 2023 to support the new library and Bawcutt Centre design concept/project Councillor Bell’s reason to reconsider is that council is facing the largest property tax increase in county history, and he can’t justify supporting costs associated with the estimated $38 million capital project, considering the budgetary constraints this year and potentially in the years to come. “It’s in the best interest of the community and its taxpayers to step back and reconsider the approval to reconstruct a new main branch library in light of growing challenges,” said Bell, when asked by Mayor David Bailey to explain his reason for issuing a Motion to Reconsider, something Bailey said he’s never seen in his six years on council Bell’s motion to reconsider was deferred to discussion at a special council meeting later in the week The motion to reconsider was not up for debate, but twice during

With a narrow margin, councillors voted to continue to move forward with the Library project. Thursday’s vote of support allows the county to get final design details and bids on the construction costs, subject to council approval.

Bell’s attempt to explain the logic behind his motion, Councillor Robert Chambers intervened to request a Point of Order Chambers also quoted procedural bylaw number 44, ‘if an action is approved in the motion, the motion cannot be reconsidered.’

“If the bell is rung you cannot unring it,” said Chambers. He referred to a specific point in the original motion from June 2023, where council voted and supported the concept design and asked staff to authorize Collaborative Structures Limited to issue requests for tender for the construction of the Main Library and Bawcutt Centre to prequalified contractors. Chambers argues that since staff authorized CSL to tender, the motion to reconsider is irrevocable. A Brant County Council Clerk clarified that staff authorized the call to tender, but no actual call was placed, and no requests were received from contractors, therefore, the motion to reconsider is still valid.

The full discussion to revoke or not revoke support for the new main branch library reconvened on Thursday, February 1st during a special afternoon council meeting, held just before the last scheduled Budget meeting

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In a recorded 6-5 vote, council opted not to support the motion to reconsider, meaning plans for the new main branch library would continue to move forward.

To be clear, the vote doesn’t mean the project was given a full green light, but that county staff could obtain final design details and accept tender bids to determine final construction costs – all to be presented to council again for approval.

The resolution asked councillors to reconsider supporting the Main Library and Bawcutt Centre project, its construction and site plan/zoning applications, design concepts, the call to tender for construction, the transition of the Steering Group to Fundraising Committee to begin fundraising efforts and the $13 489 million commitment for funding in the 2024 Capital Budget.

As news spread this week about Bell’s motion to reconsider, many community members rallied to support and save the project. Petitions were drawn up and letters were issued to members of Council and the Mayor Council chambers was packed with supporters as the afternoon meeting commenced.

A total of six delegates spoke passionately about the project, some who have been involved with plans to transform the Bawcutt centre for over a decade now (one delegate being Barbara Graham, whose parents Jack and Joyce Bawcutt are the building’s namesake), others who sit on the new main branch library steering committee and want to see the project to fruition and some just concerned residents who whole heartedly support the project.

Each delegate spoke with conviction and enthusiasm as they explained why halting the project at this point would be a mistake.

Reasons varied from construction costs that will only continue to rise, to the funds and efforts already put forward to bring the concept to reality, to the need for arts, culture and community spaces for this growing community One delegation presented their facts on why the project should not proceed based on costs.

At times the discussion became quite heated and accusatory, prompting the Mayor to intervene and remind some delegates of the facts behind the project and what was supported in the original resolution in June 2023. After two delegates accused council of lack of transparency, holding a special meeting with little public notice in the middle of the day, the County Clerk clarified the reason for the meeting. With the final budget deliberations taking place that – and a nearly $14 million dollar commitment for the project in the 2024 budget package –it was important to determine if Bell’s motion to reconsider was supported or not, before beginning the final budget package discussions, she said When asked by Councillor Howes if cancelling the library project would affect the budget (to potentially decrease the proposed double digit tax hike), Heather Boyd responded with no, because the money budgeted for the library comes from the library’s own reserves and a building fund set up from developer’s fees, which are only used to finance capital projects such as this one.

The day before the meeting, Councillor Bell posted a message on social media to defend his position and clarify that he was not on a rampage to derail the project

“We were advised that the compound effect of approving the library project and other important capital projects will be to exceed our self-imposed debt limit and we will very quickly reach the limit permitted by the Municipal Act,” Bell stated.

After the delegations wrapped up, the clerk reminded everyone that once the motion was read, there would be no option to debate it further and once the vote was recorded, the decision would be final and could not be revisited for one full year

In a recorded 6-5 vote, council opted not to support the motion to reconsider, meaning plans for the new main branch library would continue to move forward The vote didn’t mean the project was given a full green light, but that county staff could obtain final design details and accept tender bids to determine final construction costs – all to be presented to council again for approval.

Councillors Jennifer Kyle, John Bell, David Miller, Brian Coleman and Christine Garneau all voted to reconsider the library plans

Councillors John MacAlpine, Steve Howes, Lukas Oakley, John Peirce, Robert Chambers and Mayor David Bailey voted against reconsidering the project

If you want to watch the entire meeting, and listen to all the delegations presented before council, you can find it by clicking here on YouTube