KAYSVILLE -- Kaysville Library Director Paul Stokes suggested to the city council Tuesday night that a new library could be built -- possibly for well under $3 million. Acceptance of the plan also would derail current efforts to have the Kaysville library merge with the Davis County Library system. But his suggestion, which calls for another bond election mixed with fund raising, was met with skepticism by at least two council members. "Are we supposed to go through this two, three, or four times before we get the answer we are looking for?" asked council member Chris Snell.

"If we want a new building, we are forced to look at other avenues. The bond happened because charitable contributions didn't," council member Casey Hill said referring to the $4.5 million bond defeated in the November 2004 election.

Although plans hadn't been finalized prior to the election, a building of up to 30,000 square feet on two levels had been proposed.

That compares to one Stokes estimates at $2.7 million and half the size. At 15,000 square feet, Kaysville's would be about the size of the county's Central Branch Library in Layton.

Stokes cited his previous years of experience in fund raising and as a library consultant as potentially valuable to overcoming previous obstacles to obtaining large financial contributions.

"I believe the answer is to step up and see if a new library can be built. The sooner the better," he said.

A "more aggressive" fund- raising campaign could lead to more contributions, he said, adding that a bond would still be needed to build a new library.

With a bond, he said, a new library building could be built significantly sooner than it would if the council decides to go with the Davis County Library.

County Library Director Pete Giacoma told the Clipper earlier this week that should Kaysville join the county system, its desire for a new library would be added to the list of several other cities that have already expressed interest for a facility.

Kaysville can't be placed on any list until it joins, he said. With construction starting on a new Centerville branch, the library board is due to consider a new five-year growth/construction plan, probably later this summer, Giacoma said.

While Kaysville's building needs would be considered, those of other cities, already part of the system and whose interest has previously been expressed for branches, would have to be factored in, he emphasized.

In the meantime, if the Kaysville City Council chooses to move forward toward constructing a new library to be managed by the city, residents could possibly have a new library in two to three years, Stokes said.