Fayetteville Library Schedules Input Meetings In Early September

Meetings scheduled Sept. 4, 5, 6

FAYETTEVILLE -- Local residents will have a chance to talk about future expansion plans for the Fayetteville Library during a series of input meetings early next month.

David Johnson, executive director, told the Fayetteville Library Board of Trustees Monday, the meetings are scheduled Sept. 4, 5 and 6.

The first meeting on Sept. 4 will be at 6:30 p.m. at the library.

The Sept. 5 meeting will be at 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. and will include a light lunch. The final meeting will be at 11:20 a.m. on Sept. 6 and will include a brunch. There also will be a booth at the Farmers' Market on Sept. 6.

The library staff wants to hear what residents have to say about what they want to see in the library as the expansion progresses, said Brandi Holt, marketing and communications manager.

Residents who attend also will see some new design concepts presented by Jeffrey Scherer of Meyer, Scherer and Rockcastle of Minneapolis, Minn., who has been working with the local library in developing a master plan for expansion, Johnson said.

And, the meetings will be streamed live on the library's website and viewers will have the capability to pose questions through Twitter while the meeting is going on, he added.

The board is considering an expansion of up to 80,000 square feet, which would double the size of the current library. There are several proposals on the table, one of which includes an 800-seat auditorium. Other plans are smaller in scope and propose more meeting space and more technology for public use as well as additional parking.

The library is in the process of buying the former City Hospital property, a 4.2-acre tract next door to the library, for the expansion. The library foundation is spending $2 million to buy the property.

Vince Chadick, an attorney representing the library in the purchase, told board members the quiet title process to gain a clear title to the property is moving slowly but could be finalized in the next two months. Letters have been sent to heirs of the Stephen K. and Amanda Stone, the original donors of the land on which City Hospital was built. Letters are being sent to heirs in Oklahoma, Texas, Louisiana, Colorado, California and New York to inform them of the quiet title process, he said.

The property was originally donated as the site for the city's hospital and proceeds from the sale would be for the benefit of the city's hospital, which is now Washington Regional Medical Center, Chadick said. Washington Regional was the owner and operator of City Hospital at the time it was closed about two years ago.

More public comment meetings are scheduled Oct. 9-12 although times have not been set, Johnson said.

NW News on 08/19/2014

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