The Sweet Home Public Library board considered options for a new library building on Thursday, discussing cost estimates, potential sites and next steps while directing staff to prepare a proposal and hold a work session on July 10 at 3:00 p.m.

The discussion centered on whether to build on bare land, remodel an existing commercial building or redevelop the old City Hall site. A staff member told the board that a full new build could cost “15 to 20,000,000,” a remodel of an existing 10,000-square-foot shell could run about $3,000,000, and the library currently occupies just over 5,000 square feet and is aiming for roughly 10,000–15,000 square feet.

Those estimates matter because the board has about “right around a million” in donations on hand and an available capital line in the library fund, and staff said they have applied for additional grants and are tracking federal funding programs that affect library projects.

Board members and staff reviewed a needs-assessment the library commissioned before the COVID-19 pandemic and discussed specific constraints: downtown parcels can help economic activity and walkability but have limited parking; properties outside the commercial core may have more land but be less walkable; and building design choices (single-story vs. multi-story) would change staffing needs.

The board also heard that accessibility work is already under way: the library received a national accessibility grant of $10,000 to replace a wheelchair-access door mechanism and add ADA-compliant controls. Staff said the grant requires community outreach, including at least one completed survey, and that some accessibility elements (for example, reworking a handicapped bathroom door and related renovations) would exceed the $10,000 award and require larger capital funding.

Staff listed potential local properties and land parcels for further study (including former commercial sites and city-owned lots) and noted factors the board should weigh: square footage target, cost-per-square-foot, parking and walkability, proximity to schools, and the town’s changing center. The staff member said they have about a million dollars in donations and that some earlier partnership prospects are no longer available.

The board agreed it would be difficult to resolve during the regular meeting and directed staff to prepare a short list of one to three recommended sites and cost scenarios, send materials to the board in advance, and convene a work session at 3:00 p.m. on July 10 to develop definitive recommendations and a path for fundraising and grant work.

Quotations used in this report come from the meeting transcript and are attributed to the speakers listed below. The board did not record a formal roll-call vote on a single option during the meeting; rather, members agreed to proceed with staff research and a work session.

The work session will allow the board to review maps, updated cost estimates, a list of available properties and fundraising options before selecting a direction for formal action and any required city approvals.