Talk of a formal opening date for Milpitas' new $39-million public library stirred election year remarks among officials and the city's two mayoral challengers during last week's Milpitas City Council meeting.

The city council voted 4-1 on Sept. 2, with Mayor Jose Esteves dissenting, to have city staff return to the council with a more definitive grand opening date than two tentative January dates for the library, which is nearing completion at 160 N. Main St.

Steve Erickson, the library project manager, first told the council the final completion of the library -- now 87 percent built -- would likely take place by the end of November. Once the library was finished, he said it would likely take another six to seven weeks for library staff, book collections and equipment to be located within the building.

Erickson later recommended establishing two dates -- the first, a "soft opening" on Monday, Jan. 5 where the public could tour the facility and the second, a formal grand opening and ribbon-cutting ceremony on Saturday, Jan. 10.

But council members such as Althea Polanski, citing the 60,000-square-foot library's construction schedule that had set November as an end date, wanted to see the grand opening held this year, not next. She added the public could have access to the library during the winter school break.

"To me that's almost like prime time to let these students, children and their families (go) and see the library...," Polanski said

Vice

Mayor Bob Livengood said he was not opposed to moving the date into December rather than January, but only if the library's completion and move-in was ahead of schedule.

"It just seems that talking to library staff they don't think it's going to be any earlier than (January)," Livengood said. "But I'm open, if they're ready on Dec. 28 or 27, which is possible but not likely...I don't have a problem with that. I just don't want to put pressure on them."

Mayor Esteves, who will be out of office after Dec. 31 because of term limits, disagreed with that.

"I want to stick to the real original schedule," he said, noting November as the completion date. "So, I don't know why we're moving it to December... if it's completed I want to prove to the people that we're on time, on budget, on schedule. So we open it when it's completed," Esteves said.

To that, Vice Mayor Livengood balked.

"Mr. mayor, you've confused 'library move in' meaning they just open the door, walk in and they're moved in," Livengood said. "'Library move in' means they're going to need six to seven weeks to move into that facility."

Esteves asserted as far as staff reports were concerned November was the completion date.

Livengood replied, "Let me help you with this Mr. mayor because you've been confused about this for a long time and I'm trying to un-confuse you."

The vice mayor noted that the library's interior finishing, furniture, fixtures and equipment would still needed to be set up and determined to be working, after the building completion.

@bh:Donnelly vs. Livengood

@t:At the same meeting, a new resident of Milpitas who hopes to be Esteves' successor spoke.

Craig Donnelly, running against Livengood in November's election for mayor, read a letter. In part it stated: "During a previous council meeting the council voted 3-2 to postpone the ribbon-cutting celebration of the new Milpitas library from its scheduled completion in November 2008 until 2009, when our current Mayor Jose Esteves would not be able to participate as mayor.

"Mayor Esteves initiated this project and led in the successful voter approval of Measures H and I to obtain partial funding for the library project, and has chaired the new library subcommittee during the study, design, and construction phases. It seems only fitting to dedicate this wonderful building when Mayor Esteves is still in office. Many members of the Asian-American community in Milpitas, and surrounding communities, have approached me to tell me that this decision has showed disrespect toward them, and have asked me to intercede on their behalf," the letter said.

Donnelly urged the council to hold the ribbon-cutting celebration for the new library this fall.

Livengood balked again.

"The problem Craig is that you're... wrong. The library's not going to be ready to have a grand opening in November," Livengood said.

He went on to suggest Mayor Esteves' term had nothing to do with the library's opening.

"I think that we don't schedule events around terms of council members or mayors. We do it when the timing is correct," Livengood said.

Donnelly replied, "Well, I don't want to get into an argument here at the council meeting. Bob, there's all sorts of ribbon cuttings and dedication ceremonies; some after a building has been completed...some before they've been totally completed also where tours are given through the project. People can see what it's going to be like..."

Livengood responded, "Well no Craig, just so you know in this city we haven't done it that way in the past..."

Esteves interrupted both men to keep the meeting in order.

But Livengood continued: "He's had his chance to say what he wants, I want to say what I want."

Livengood maintained the new library would not be ready for a ribbon cutting while Esteves was mayor. He added that Esteves was not alone in advancing the library or initiating November 2000's voter-approved Measure H and I -- related transit occupancy tax measures that helped fund construction of the new library, provide new books and enhance library services for the facility.

"That's wrong as well," Livengood said. "There were a lot of us that worked very hard on Measure H and I; I'm surprised Craig how would you know about Measure H and I?"

Donnelly, recently married to city council candidate Heidi Pham, has lived in Milpitas about six months.

Livengood added, however, that there was no question Mayor Esteves helped bring the new library to Milpitas.

"And I think that whenever the library ceremony is held, whether it be the 10th of January or whatever, the mayor is going to be recognized for his efforts," he added.

In addition, Livengood said when he stepped down as Milpitas' mayor in 1989 he was not formally recognized for his work to advance the Terrace Gardens senior housing project.

"And the ribbon cutting occurred right after I left office, and my name's not on the plaque and that's the way it goes," Livengood said. "But I didn't have one of my political allies try to come up and say 'We want to change the ribbon cutting so it falls under a time when the current mayor is in office, I would never do that. That's not looking out after the best interests of the city; it's looking out after some political agenda."

@bh:Grand opening costs

@t:Council members also disagreed about how much the city should spend on the library's grand opening ceremony -- an event with an estimated budget of $45,000.

After staff noted the cost for Milpitas City Hall's grand opening was approximately $50,000, Mayor Esteves said the budget for the library should be half that amount.

"We're in harder times; it should be a simplified opening dedication," he said. "For me, $45,000 to $50,000 for an opening and a dedication is a big amount of money, especially for the hardship at this time."

Councilman Gomez said earmarking $45,000 for the ceremony was appropriate.

"I actually had some concerns that that wasn't enough," Gomez said. "I think this is one of the biggest projects we'll ever complete, that I'll ever see completed, and I'm very proud of it and I do want to invite many people from the community and beyond the community because last I checked this isn't just a Milpitas library, it's used by people outside Milpitas."

@c:Hank Ironteeth (left) and Daryl Catena install carpet on the second floor of the new Milpitas Public Library. The building is expected to be complete in November but the opening has been slated for January to afford time for move-in of books and equipment.

@p:Photo by Kevin Batangan

@bh:Library opening sparks

mayoral confrontation

@c:Craig Donnelly

@c:Bob Livengood

USE THE MUGS IN PO837 PLEASE