July 23, 2014 at 2:10 p.m.
New library for Dunkirk? (11/11/03)
Librarian relates 'dream' to council
DUNKIRK — The prospect of obtaining grant money and building a new, larger public library is under consideration.
Ailesia Franklin, Dunkirk’s head librarian, told city council members Monday night of her dream for a new library, possibly at a different location.
Also present was Jay County Community Developer Wayne Bailey, who was asked by Franklin to assist in submitting an application for a planning grant to state officials.
Franklin said circulation figures at the library had doubled in the past three years, and attendance at children’s reading programs had tripled. She added that attendance at some of the children’s programs has topped 50, making some youngsters and parents uncomfortable in the library’s small meeting room.
Franklin said she didn’t expect an answer immediately, but wanted the council to begin thinking about the proposal. Franklin said she will wait until January after new mayor Sam Hubbard takes office to approach the council for a decision.
Bailey and Franklin explained that this request was for a planning grant only, to review possible locations and alternatives.
The second part of Franklin’s overall plan calls for letting the present library building be used as an addition to the Glass Museum which also could benefit from having more space.
Concerning the possible location of a new library facility, “we have a site in mind but nothing official,” Franklin said. She added that the planning grant would be used to help study alternative locations and develop some lists of pros and cons.
The librarian explained that the city would need to apply for the grant with the library as a sub-recipient. The planning grant request would probably total about $30,000 with the city required to provide 10 percent of that amount or roughly $3,000, Franklin said.
Although this planning grant would use Indiana Department of Commerce Community Focus Fund money, it would not count against the city’s limit of having only two CFF construction grants open at one time, Bailey said. The city’s Quincy Place housing development is still open on the CFF grant list as a city project.
Bailey said there would be no charge for his services in preparing the planning grant application.
The planning grant would focus on environmental and income factors as well as consider architectural requirements and examine whether it would be better to construct a new building or expand the present library facility at the corner of Washington and Franklin streets.
Concluding her presentation, the librarian said, “If it doesn’t go through the city council, we’re dead in the water.”
The current library building measures 2,400 square feet, Franklin said, adding that the library could utilize a much larger structure, possibly as big as 10,000 square feet.
In other business at Monday night’s meeting, council members:
•Heard city attorney William Hinkle report that Pennville resident William Landers had signed over the deeds for the two vacant buildings at 105 and 107 Lincoln Avenue. These are the buildings which the city wants to demolish along with the former police station structure at the southwest corner of Lincoln Avenue and Main Street.
Councilman Dan Watson said that required paperwork had been filed with the Indiana Department of Environmental Management in connection with this proposed demolition work. Watson said that the earliest possible date for starting the actual razing of the buildings would be Nov. 24.
•Approved a motion authorizing Mayor Tom Johnson to sign a contract with GAI Consultants, Inc., Fort Wayne, concerning the continuation of efforts to clean up the abandoned gasoline station site at the northwest corner of Main and Center Streets. GAI representatives Derek Fulk and Ron Smith reported that state officials had agreed to award another $20,000 in grant funds to the city for additional soil testing and related work in connection with continuing with this cleanup project.
Fulk said that the actual cleanup of the property could begin next spring or summer.[[In-content Ad]]
Ailesia Franklin, Dunkirk’s head librarian, told city council members Monday night of her dream for a new library, possibly at a different location.
Also present was Jay County Community Developer Wayne Bailey, who was asked by Franklin to assist in submitting an application for a planning grant to state officials.
Franklin said circulation figures at the library had doubled in the past three years, and attendance at children’s reading programs had tripled. She added that attendance at some of the children’s programs has topped 50, making some youngsters and parents uncomfortable in the library’s small meeting room.
Franklin said she didn’t expect an answer immediately, but wanted the council to begin thinking about the proposal. Franklin said she will wait until January after new mayor Sam Hubbard takes office to approach the council for a decision.
Bailey and Franklin explained that this request was for a planning grant only, to review possible locations and alternatives.
The second part of Franklin’s overall plan calls for letting the present library building be used as an addition to the Glass Museum which also could benefit from having more space.
Concerning the possible location of a new library facility, “we have a site in mind but nothing official,” Franklin said. She added that the planning grant would be used to help study alternative locations and develop some lists of pros and cons.
The librarian explained that the city would need to apply for the grant with the library as a sub-recipient. The planning grant request would probably total about $30,000 with the city required to provide 10 percent of that amount or roughly $3,000, Franklin said.
Although this planning grant would use Indiana Department of Commerce Community Focus Fund money, it would not count against the city’s limit of having only two CFF construction grants open at one time, Bailey said. The city’s Quincy Place housing development is still open on the CFF grant list as a city project.
Bailey said there would be no charge for his services in preparing the planning grant application.
The planning grant would focus on environmental and income factors as well as consider architectural requirements and examine whether it would be better to construct a new building or expand the present library facility at the corner of Washington and Franklin streets.
Concluding her presentation, the librarian said, “If it doesn’t go through the city council, we’re dead in the water.”
The current library building measures 2,400 square feet, Franklin said, adding that the library could utilize a much larger structure, possibly as big as 10,000 square feet.
In other business at Monday night’s meeting, council members:
•Heard city attorney William Hinkle report that Pennville resident William Landers had signed over the deeds for the two vacant buildings at 105 and 107 Lincoln Avenue. These are the buildings which the city wants to demolish along with the former police station structure at the southwest corner of Lincoln Avenue and Main Street.
Councilman Dan Watson said that required paperwork had been filed with the Indiana Department of Environmental Management in connection with this proposed demolition work. Watson said that the earliest possible date for starting the actual razing of the buildings would be Nov. 24.
•Approved a motion authorizing Mayor Tom Johnson to sign a contract with GAI Consultants, Inc., Fort Wayne, concerning the continuation of efforts to clean up the abandoned gasoline station site at the northwest corner of Main and Center Streets. GAI representatives Derek Fulk and Ron Smith reported that state officials had agreed to award another $20,000 in grant funds to the city for additional soil testing and related work in connection with continuing with this cleanup project.
Fulk said that the actual cleanup of the property could begin next spring or summer.[[In-content Ad]]
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