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Oregon Road Conditions & Cams Advertisement Email Story to a Friend April 26, 2006 Phoenix starts work on new library By Buffy Pollock for the Mail Tribune PHOENIX — City and library officials are ready to begin a long-planned juggling act to make way for a new library, expected to open its doors in a year. The move will mean a temporary "pocket library" on First Street, and a new home for city offices in the old library on Second. While plans were to demolish the existing City Hall to make way for library construction this month, slight delays have the demolition more likely to kick off mid-summer. The city rendered itself homeless when it offered the City Hall property to the county for a library site. The ailing City Hall structure, built in the 1940s, is in disrepair, infested with termites and in a not-so-ideal location compared to other city services. In return, the county offered the city the old library site and the building, but it's too small for a permanent home. The city last year purchased land next to Reese's Dive Shop along Highway 99 for a future City Hall, but Mayor Vicki Bear said a new City Hall could run around $3 million — money the city doesn't have. Advertisement Bear estimated the city could remain in temporary quarters anywhere from three to 15 years, depending on the council's motivation to fund a new facility. Bear said she recently got official notice from Jackson County that City Hall would need to be vacated within 90 days to make way for the library work. The existing county library branch, next door to the Phoenix Fire Department, must be vacated within 60 days to allow city officials a chance to move in. "So they will have vacated the library by June 16," noted Bear. "Then we've got a month to move administration, the police department and administration out of City Hall and into the old library." Administration and planning will be housed in the existing "old" library on Second Street while police services will be in a modular building behind. Bear said the temporary quarters will give the city time to plan for funding and design of a new home for city offices. Despite the recent arrest of Police Chief Bob Kershaw, Bear said the city would move forward with plans for police offices. While the police force is currently under the command of Sheriff Mike Winters, Bear said "one way or another, the city of Phoenix will have police services, whether it's contracted or our own. And those services will need somewhere to be." Anne Billeter, south region manager for Jackson County Library Services, said temporary library quarters will be at 107 W. First St. by early June. The existing location will close May 19 for three weeks to allow library and city officials time to move. Billeter, who began working for the county in 1985, said the small structure on First Street had once been a showcase library. Built in 1978, the wood structure is, she noted, beyond antiquated. Billeter said library patrons can view a model of the new building on display in the library. As for City Hall, city offices will close at noon on Fridays to pack for the move. Water bills can be delivered to the drop box at the existing City Hall until city offices are moved to the Second Street location. Mail Tribune Home | Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life | Opinion AP News | Archives | Site Map | Community | Classified Copyright © 1997-2006 Mail Tribune, Inc. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions | Website Feedback www.bingo.com Home Security Systems Trunks, Footlocker Custom Build Computers Discount Hotel Reservations online casinos news Ashley Furniture HomeStore Send Flowers Southern Oregon Loans California Casinos GMAT Prep Windermere Van Vleet Sports Equipment Online Casino Reviews Online Bingo Entertainment Guide Online Casino Fundraisers Sudoku Online Casinos Canada Online Pharmacy Advertisement s