O'Fallon committee reviews $22.5 million library proposal, asks for simpler ballot wording

The O'Fallon Committee of the Whole on June 29 heard a presentation on a proposed new municipal library and the ballot language the library board hopes to place on the Nov. 3 advisory referendum.

City Administrator Grant Litigen told the committee the meeting was informational: the council would consider whether to place an advisory question on the ballot but, as a home-rule city, O'Fallon can legally issue bonds without a voter-approved referendum. "The advisory referendum is not legally binding on this city council or the city of O'Fallon," Litigen said, adding that any bond issuance would require a separate council vote.

Library Director Ryan Johnson introduced volunteer co-chairs and consultants from the "Together" engagement process and turned the presentation over to co-chairs Todd Reichelt and Lexi Basinger. Reichelt described nine engagement meetings over 10 months and three public workshops; Basinger summarized options developed by the community. The engagement team reported 543 survey responses, roughly 147 workshop participants, multiple tours and an open house, and outreach through texts and mailed postcards.

The team said community participants favored an option labeled "Option C": a one-floor facility of about 38,120 square feet at an estimated cost of roughly $22.5 million. Presenters said that, in initial survey questions, about 56.8% of respondents favored the concept; after cost details, support dipped to about 54.1% and after full information rose to about 58.2%.

Several council members said they appreciated the transparent outreach but asked that the proposed ballot wording be shortened and made to start with the word "Shall" so voters face a clear yes/no question on election day. Council Member (as recorded) Jessica Lots said she wanted context on how the language was drafted; Ryan Johnson said the library worked with Discovery Works (engagement consultant), Bernardi Securities (financial adviser) and Miller Canfield (bond counsel) to vet draft language before the library board selected its preferred wording.

Council members also discussed whether the project could be phased in modules instead of a single build. Staff and presenters said phasing would likely be less cost‑effective because of inflation and repeated process costs, summarizing their position as "do it once, do it right." The filing deadline to have a referendum placed on the November ballot was cited as August 16 (administrative actions to file would be required well before Nov. 3).

No formal council action was taken on the ballot language at the meeting. The committee directed the library director and the library board to return with shorter ballot language based on the council's comments for consideration at a future council meeting.

Next procedural steps: Ryan Johnson will work with bond counsel and the board to draft condensed language; the library board will act on revisions and bring them to the council for final approval if the board and council wish to move forward on placing an advisory question on the ballot.