Tuesday’s decision by the Albert Lea City Council to nix a design study for a new library on North Broadway Avenue was made for two reasons: First, some argued that the city should not spend $25,000 on the project when there is a budget crisis; and second, others thought the design study would anoint the Broadway site as the place where the new library would go without council discussion.

At the same time, members of the library board, some council members and Library Director Lori Barkema say the plan has been a long time coming. &uot;We have thought this process through,&uot; Barkema said. &uot;This process has been going on for several years.&uot;

Library board member Del Stein and City Councilman Warren Amundson both attested to that.

Each said there had been discussions about the need for a new library and about the site.

&uot;In most of our discussions we’d ask Lori what kind of space we need,&uot; Stein, who has been on the board for the past five years, said. &uot;It became very obvious when we looked at the North Broadway site … that you can’t do much better.&uot;

But Tuesday night, members of the council and the audience alike showed their disagreement with the process by which the matter was being handled.

&uot;It looks to me that that site was nailed down,&uot; Councilman George Marin said, in reaction to the library study possibility. &uot;I just think there are other buildings in town, plenty of empty ones that we can fill and use. I’d like to see us use those empty buildings before we build a new government building.&uot;

Barkema said the board has touched base on other possible project areas, but she said they have been most interested in the North Broadway site.

Possibilities named have been the soon to be vacant Wal-Mart building, which she says is not central enough for the community, and the city-owned &uot;Vault&uot; building downtown, which she thinks would have high long-term costs. Also named has been the old high school, but the owner hasn’t shown any interest in selling yet.

Amundson, who acts as a library liaison to the council, said Tuesday that financially, a study would be smart and timely because of the cost of such a project would be increased over the next few years.

He said that while the study might have been site-specific, it would not necessarily mean the Broadway spot was a lock. He said the plans could be altered to fit different sites.

Also discussed has been the possibility of expanding the library in its current space, but Barkema said the city office building is made in such a fashion that the library would have to be split up in many rooms.

She said she still thinks a new library is worth while.

&uot;I’m disappointed,&uot; Barkema said. &uot;But, like most everything , this will be a process.&uot;