Library director asks Dawson County to fund feasibility study to expand existing facility

Lesie Clark, director of the ST Regional Library System, told the Dawson County Board of Commissioners the county library is outgrowing its existing footprint and asked the board to authorize using impact-fee funds for a feasibility study to explore expanding the current building instead of building a separate facility.

Clark said the library, built in 2001 and renovated last year for carpet, paint and a small meeting room, struggles to accommodate early-literacy and teen programming. “The dream first of all would be a larger meeting space,” Clark said, noting the current meeting rooms cannot reliably hold popular children’s and teen events and that staff have occasionally had to turn people away because of fire marshal limits.

Commissioners discussed the practical trade-offs of expansion versus a new building, including ongoing operating costs such as heating and air and the fact that impact fees cannot be used for ongoing general-purpose expenses. Clark and the board agreed a legal opinion should confirm what impact fees can legally fund; the chair asked county staff (Joy) to research legal constraints.

Why it matters: As Dawson County grows, the library director says expanded space is needed to maintain early-literacy and community programming that serve families and schools clustered near the facility.

What’s next: Clark asked the board to authorize a feasibility study and later to request architectural services and pursue state grants to fund construction if expansion is feasible. Commissioners asked staff to report back with the current impact-fee balance and other financial options.

Sources: Presentation by Lesie Clark at the Dawson County Board of Commissioners work session on June 18, 2026.