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Library trustees, patrons press county to cover move costs; commission approves small move budget
Summary
Public speakers representing the Washington County Public Library and Friends groups urged the commission to fund carpeting and a professional mover for the new Grama Library; commissioners approved smaller line items for the Gray library move and new signage.
Speakers at the Washington County Board of County Commissioners meeting on March 2025 urged the county to increase its support for the upcoming move of the Grama Library and to pay for full carpeting and a family restroom in the new facility.
Library trustees, foundation members and staff described the move schedule and potential service disruption and urged the county to fund specific needs. Jerome Bowers, chair of the Washington County Library Board, said the current Grama Library “receives over a hundred guests a day, and over 250 items are checked out daily,” and said the system expects circulation and visits to rise after the move. Bowers told commissioners the construction schedule has Phase 1 complete on June 27 and that the library “has to be completely moved in by June 30,” leaving only three days for shelving if installation is delayed.
Bowers asked the commission to reconsider funding replacement of worn carpeting throughout the new building. He presented figures for full carpeting at $68,600 and said the main area would cost $20,870, leaving a shortfall of $47,730 that he asked the county to cover. Bowers also asked the county to consider a $4,000 bid for a family restroom in the children’s area. He argued that using professional movers would reduce staff time spent on packing and re-shelving and reduce the risk of mis-shelved items during a tight move window.
Library staff and volunteers gave details about service levels and outreach. Jennifer Murray, the system’s children’s program coordinator, described program attendance and how staff are planning summer reading and off-site programming during the move. Laurie Levknecht, vice chair of the library board of trustees, described the director search timetable and asked commissioners to publicize the vacancy once trustees approve the posting.
On motions from the Health, Education and Welfare committee, the commission approved two budget amendments tied to the library move: resolution 25-03-07, authorizing up to $15,000 in the capital projects fund for the Gray library move; and resolution 25-03-08, authorizing up to $4,000 for new Grama Library signage. Both resolutions passed on recorded votes of 11 yes, 4 absent. The larger carpeting request and the cost of hiring a professional mover were raised in public comment only; no county commitment to those requests was made at the meeting.
The library speakers asked commissioners for continued updates and invited commissioners to visit story times to see program operations firsthand. Jerome Bowers and others said new shelving is expected June 19 and that shelving installation delays could compress the move timeline.
The public comments portion of the meeting concluded before the board moved into public hearings on unrelated rezoning matters.
Although the commission approved modest move-related allocations for Gray and signage, public commenters’ requests for $47,730 in additional flooring funding and a professionally contracted book move remained appeals rather than formal actions at this meeting.
