Letter: Worthington should bear brunt of library project
January 23, 2013 at 6:00 pm in Worthington Daily Globe
A recent article in the Globe said that only 23 percent of “Nobles County Library” cardholders live outside the city of Worthington. Continue Reading
My letter was shortened when it was published. I also state that I don’t believe it should be a priority for the county to build a new library in Worthington. The top priority of the county should be to maintain and improve county roads and county parks. In the recent past the county commission turned down the building of a bicycle trail because there wasn’t enough money to maintain county roads. I don’t believe the county just has money sitting around now to build a new library with. That money would have to be borrowed by the county and eventually paid back by the taxpayers of the county.
Hot debate. What do you think?
33 
19
So if i don’t drive on county roads or parks then the money shouldn’t be used for that either by this logic.
Hot debate. What do you think?
24 
28
Do you think that some of the products you buy are transported over county roads? I bet they are. Even things like electric lines, phone lines, and rural water run along county roads in some cases. These are things that serve the whole county not just primarily one municipality. A lot of the Nobles county municipalities are interconnected with rural water for instance. County parks aren’t as necessary as the road system I agree. If you go to visit Fury’s Island park or Maka-Oiku park there is an entrance fee and a camping fee. Almost everything at the library is free. I did forget to mention one other legitimate and essential county service and that is of course law enforcement. I stand by my opinion that things like law enforcement, roads, and to a lesser extent parks are a higher priority than a new library in Worthington.
Well-loved. Like or Dislike:
32 
16
I read this letter as the city of Worthington and its residents are the primary users of the library and that IF a new one were to be built, they should contribute their fair share in their proportion the their use of the library. This is not unreasonable. This does not mean the county cannot or should not contribute, as well as take advantage of any grants that are available to the possibility of a new library.
The county services many communities, not just Worthington. Take a look in the phone book under county services and see how many you really use, it is not just roads or utilities (however they are important). The county is a community of services.
Sounds like a reasonable solution
Well-loved. Like or Dislike:
28 
11
I agree with much of what you said Lois. The county should pay part of the cost but not all of it. Maybe not even the largest share. If the library truly is “Nobles County Library” instead of a defacto Worthington Library what’s to say it needs to be located in Worthinton? Reading is the community closest to the geographical center of the county. It might be easier to build a new county library there instead of trying to find a location in Worthington. That would seem like a fair solution if the county ends up being the entiity footing the entire cost of a new library.
Hot debate. What do you think?
17 
20
“If the library truly is “Nobles County Library” instead of a defacto Worthington Library what’s to say it needs to be located in Worthinton?”
Perhaps because Worthington has 60% of the counties population. Reading is 1.8% of the population of the county.
Hot debate. What do you think?
19 
20
Then let Worthington pay 60% of the operating costs as well as 60% of the cost of building a new library. That sounds like an equitable solution.
Hot debate. What do you think?
27 
19
So building in Reading “would seem like a fair solution” because its the geographical center, but in Worthington its not fair despite having the most people and probably the highest amount of visitors in the county? It would be really interesting to see how much of the counties money comes from Worthington and its businesses.
Hot debate. What do you think?
22 
19
Maybe the city and county should contact JBS and get them to pay. They have no problem bringing in illegals to drain the county and city, so they should help the city more than the token gift they give the United Way. If 60% of the population lives in Worthington, what % of the county welfare goes to residents of Worthington and to non- Worthington residents? I would guess more than 60%.
Hot debate. What do you think?
23 
22
Wow. Just wow.
JBS and its employees support the communities and the county in myriad ways, not just through the United Way. I’m amazed you don’t know that. Or is this another attempt to change the subject to “immigration”?
Go to the next Nobles Co. Commissioners meeting and present your idea in person.
Hot debate. What do you think?
23 
13
You’re making my point for me merc. Worthington has more people than all the rest of the county combined. The use of the library is even more lopsided by Worthington residents as compared to the rest of the county. But the people of Worthington aren’t paying anywhere near most of the real estate taxes for the county. As far as Worthington businesses a lot of their money is coming in from outside the city. That’s a big benefit to Worthington, right? In my case none of my income is as a result of working in Worthington yet I shop in Worthington often. Ideally I’d like to see Nobles county get out of the library business altogether and leave it up to each municipality whether or not to fund a library. Worthington, Adrian, or any of the other small communities in the county could pay for their own library if they want to have one.
Hot debate. What do you think?
19 
18
I’ve now talked with people in two other libraries. In Marshall I was told the Marshall-Lyon County library is funded two thirds by the City of Marshall and one third by Lyon county. In Luverne I was told the library is paid for fully by Rock county but there was an agreement that in turn the City of Luverne would take over the community swimming pool from the county.
Like or Dislike:
14 
11