PAY-AS-YOU-GO PLAN: When the public first passed a dedicated 10-year millage to fund library services in 1986, the Library committed to operate on the Pay-As-You-Go Plan which funds ALL Library Capital Projects. With the Pay-As-You-Go Plan, projects are paid in full, with no bonds or indebtedness.
We collect funds to operate each year, and then set aside for capital projects any savings accrued from salary savings for vacant positions and savings realized when purchases come in under the estimated cost. This process has allowed the Library to save, plan and build three regional branches and completely replace all existing facilities with expansive, modern libraries.
Careful savings over time even allowed us to accelerate the timeline to construct the Zachary branch and to add the Fairwood and South branches to the Capital Improvements Plan, as well as fund the Outreach Service building which will contain the Library’s Reflective Server Site and the City Parish’s Backup Internet Connection.
Currently, there are 3 capital projects underway for Baker, Scotlandville, and South Branches. We are in the Design Development Phase for South, the Concept Design Phase for Scotlandville, and were planning design meetings for Baker. Future projects are scheduled for Central, Delmont Gardens, and Zachary branches. The Plan also supports the addition of two new ‘START’ branches in North and South Baton Rouge; these would be smaller express branches focused on core services.
Following the successful passage of the first dedicated Library tax in 1986, the Library embarked on a 30 year “Pay-As-You-Go” Capital Improvement Plan (CIP). Funds were saved over time; salary savings plus other savings in expenditures for each year was added to the capital fund. A replacement facility for Zachary and the new Fairwood and South Branches were not in the original CIP plan, however careful stewardship allowed the library to fund these three additional capital projects.
Three regional branch libraries were constructed in the south, south east, and eastern portions of the parish to serve new communities. Eight existing branches were replaced with larger community branches. Finally, a new Main Library was completed in 2014 and the River Center Branch was completed in 2020. Major improvements to Bluebonnet, Jones Creek and Greenwell springs Road Regional libraries have been completed.
Details related to all current or recently completed construction projects may be found at http://www.ebrpl.com/cip.html.
Pay-As-You-Go: Library patrons appreciate the wisdom of saving prior to building rather than bonded indebtedness. The Library has been funded on a 10-year cycle, so long-term bonds are not an option. Since we save and then “front-load” our efforts, the Library does not have to pay additional funds to service high interest debt or rely on uncertain future revenues.
Over the past two decades, we started each millage period with an 11.1 millage rate, and committed $40 to $60 million in each of those decades for new construction and facilities. The staff is not suggesting that we need capital investment for the next 10 years at these levels, but we feel that we do need to reinvest in our facilities and be capable of making needed improvements for our citizens – zero new capital improvements would have an adverse impact on the provision of services and on the long term development of the library system.
