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QUESTION
What capital projects have been paused or delayed due to funding cuts, and in what phases were these projects?
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The council members inquired about the impact of $130 million in combined capital funding cuts on library capital projects across the three public library systems.
- Queens Public Library stated they will have to stop a number of projects in various phases due to funding uncertainty.
- The New York Public Library had to push out $41 million in capital funding, halting amazing and essential renovation plans, some already in the design phase.
- The Brooklyn Public Library eliminated $47 million from their capital plan, jeopardizing four renovations at specific branches.
- Queens Public Library provided the exact figure of a $32.2 million cut to their capital budget.
Justin Brannan
0:44:49
Capital funding.
0:44:50
So all three systems were forced to cut their capital portfolios by a combined $130,000,000 Could you tell us if this has led to projects being paused or delayed?
0:45:01
And if so, how many and what phases were some of these projects in?
Dennis Walcott
0:45:09
So with Queen's, they're in various phases with the capital cut still, it really deals with them moving forward, so we're gonna have to stop a number of them.
0:45:19
And again, it's the uncertainty of knowing what amount of money we'll have available to us.
0:45:24
So that's part of the challenge as far as the status of the capital funding at this point.
0:45:29
And then in planning and moving forward, so we have a number like Bayley Park and several other libraries that are on hold at this point.
0:45:37
And we can give you a specific list
Justin Brannan
0:45:39
as well.
0:45:39
Because I know you you had testified in the past that capital projects that are near completion ultimately can't be completed due to the need for more funding.
0:45:51
Is that right?
0:45:52
Yep.
Dennis Walcott
0:45:52
So with us, again, we have several of the projects that not gonna be paused but we will not be able to move forward with new projects.
Justin Brannan
0:46:01
Got it forward.
0:46:01
Yeah.
Tony Marx
0:46:05
We've had to push out $41,000,000.
0:46:07
We've been requested to push out $41,000,000 of our capital.
0:46:11
And that means lots of amazing and essential renovations that were being planned, those plans have stopped.
0:46:20
There are a few instances where we were actually beyond planning and into design.
0:46:26
Again, had to stop.
0:46:28
We know that when we were turn to these projects, which we will have to.
0:46:32
These are capital requirements.
0:46:34
The city is obligated to meet these needs.
0:46:38
They will be more expensive.
0:46:39
And along the way, we'll have our branches closed because we'll have emergency repairs because we haven't been able to do the the necessary deferred maintenance.
0:46:49
It costs
Justin Brannan
0:46:50
a lot of money to do nothing.
Linda Johnson
0:46:52
Yeah.
0:46:52
Enough such thing as standing still.
0:46:54
In Brooklyn, we've had to eliminate $47,000,000 from our capital plan 4 renovations are in Jeopardy, Cortellou, Diker, Graves End, and Hylon.
0:47:07
And these are reductions that are forcing us to eliminate really long awaited renovations and to remove funding for capital projects eliminate critical infrastructure funds.
Dennis Walcott
0:47:20
Yeah.
0:47:20
An exact amount just to give you the exact amount of the Queen's capital peg is 32.2 $1,000,000 is our capital pay.
Justin Brannan
0:47:28
Thank you.