Julie Valenzuela, right, and her children gathers their books before checking out at Catoosa County Library.The Catoosa County, Ga., library has applied for money to improve the building.
The county's board of commissioners voted Tuesday evening to let Library Director Darla Chambliss apply for a state grant that would cover half the cost of building upgrades. Chambliss wants four improvements. The total cost is about $160,000 -- the state government covering half of that money, Catoosa County taxpayers covering the other half.
Chambliss is asking for money to replace the building's carpet, repair the bathrooms, install a new security system and put automatic doors inside the building.
The commission voted 3-2 to let Chambliss apply for this grant to the Georgia Public Library Service. Chairman Keith Greene and Commissioner Bobby Winters voted against letting Chambliss apply for the grant.
"We're not spending any money tonight," Commissioner Jim Cutler said Tuesday night. "We're just allowing you to apply."
If the Georgia Public Library Service approves Chambliss' grant application, the Catoosa County Commission would then decide whether to set aside $80,000 in fiscal year 2016 (beginning July 1, 2015) for these improvements.
Financial Director Carl Henson said this money would come from the general fund, not the $500,000 the county sets aside for the library.
Winters, one of the two commissioners who voted against the grant application proposed another solution.
"Can we see if we have any extra money in the next six months for this?" he asked.
The other county commissioners explained to him that, no, that was not an option. During Tuesday's meeting, the commissioners were merely voting on whether to let Chambliss apply to the state for these improvements.
In the application to the state, Chambliss explained why these upgrades are necessary. She said the library would benefit from automatic doors because some of the people who use the building are in wheelchairs.
"[They] have trouble with these heavy doors," she wrote.
She said that the carpet and security system should be replaced because they are both 16 years old. She also said the bathrooms should be renovated because they are not currently in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, which has changed since the building was completed in 1998.
Contact Staff Writer Tyler Jett at tjett@timesfreepress.com or at 423-757-6476.