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Library trustees present $20 million facilities assessment; commissioners seek prioritized cost estimates
Summary
Natrona County Library trustees told commissioners a new facilities assessment identifies failing restrooms and other urgent repairs and estimates nearly $20 million in work over 20 years; commissioners asked the trustees for prioritized, line-item costs for immediate budget consideration.
Chris Mullen, president of the Natrona County Library board of trustees, told the Board of County Commissioners at their April 21 meeting that a facilities condition assessment completed last September reviewed 105 line items across the building and found restrooms to be the only item listed as “failed.”
“We had 105 separate line items that they reviewed and each was given a grade from failed to poor to fair to good to excellent,” Mullen said. “In the report out of those 105 only one thing failed and that was our restrooms.” He told the commissioners the building contains portions dating to 1910 with major renovations in 1925 and 1953 and that many systems are at or past their expected life.
Mullen cited the assessment’s expenditure forecasts: “In the next one to two years, they’re projecting in the report that we could be spending $3.4 million on the facility to keep it up and running. In years 3 to 5, they expect another $7.4 million. 6 to 10, $1.9 million. And 11 to 20, another $6.9. So in the next 20 years, they’re projecting that we’ll be expending close to $20 million on this facility.”
Trustees and maintenance staff outlined the board’s near-term priorities from the report — exterior brick and mortar repairs, restrooms, HVAC replacement, elevator replacement and parking resurfacing — and said some items (including a mechanical lift to access a teen area) have already been addressed with grant funds.
Commissioners said they support the library but stressed there are many county facilities with aging systems. One commissioner asked the trustees to supply prioritized, line-by-line cost estimates for the top immediate needs, especially the restrooms, so the commission can evaluate funding during the upcoming budget cycle. A commissioner suggested coordinating those estimates with county maintenance and exploring grant or existing interest-fund options rather than assuming a large new capital appropriation.
Kathy Carr, vice president of the library board, emphasized the trustees’ intent: the presentation was primarily a warning that systems will fail unless addressed, not a formal funding request. Several trustees urged more robust public outreach and education before the county pursues a new-build option or a public funding measure.
Next steps: commissioners asked the trustees to return with specific cost estimates for the library’s immediate priorities for consideration in budget discussions.
