Boé: Let’s move forward with original plan for downtown library

Metro Councilman Joel Boé says he’ll try to strike a compromise with his fellow council members at a special called meeting this evening to move forward the controversial and stalled downtown library project, as it was previously approved by the council. Boé says he doesn’t think a joint resolution by five council members on the agenda urging the Library Board of Control to come up with a plan to renovate the existing library downtown has the seven votes needed to pass. The council allocated $19 million for a new downtown library in this year’s budget, but some councilors—most notably Mayor Pro Tem Mike Walker—have recently questioned the allocation, suggesting the existing library should be renovated at a lower cost. Boé says the council will be setting a bad precedent if it asks the library board, which is composed of Metro Council appointees, to change course now. “I’m trying to get a compromise here, but I don’t know if that’s going to happen or not,” says Boé, adding he’ll likely try to amend the joint resolution before the board this evening. “Let’s make a statement here publicly today that we’re going to move forward as we’ve already directed them and we’re not going to micromanage them anymore.” The special called meeting is to begin at 5 p.m. on the third floor of the Governmental Building at 222 St. Louis St. Also on the agenda will be discussion of a controversial $900,000 canopy for a stage at Galvez Plaza downtown. —Steve Sanoski