Library Expansion Project - Meeting Minutes Archive

Minutes of the Meeting of the Special Library Committee
Wednesday, June 29, 2005

Call to Order

The meeting was called to order by Mayor Wehrle at 7:05 p.m. in the Council Chambers at City Hall.

Roll Call

Members Present: Mayor Wehrle, Ted Anderson, Marge Sherwin, Kathy Addison, Kathy Kolb, Stuart Harper

Member Absent: Mark Bartels

Staff Present: Scot Simpson, Alan Tollefson

Guest: Peter Knudsen from Representative Ron Kind's office

Welcome - Mayor Wehrle

Mayor Wehrle said this was a great opportunity to move the community forward. He urged the group to work toward making Lancaster a place to stop for tourists. He noted the efforts of Potosi and Cassville in promoting tourism and expressed the hope Lancaster could join them in a cooperative effort; otherwise, Lancaster might be left out of the tourism loop. He said one idea for a project might involve combining the library, a museum, a band shell and perhaps a Chamber of Commerce office. He had discussed some of these issues with officials in Washington D.C. on a recent trip and received positive feedback.

Committee Purpose

City Administrator Simpson said the Library Board and the City Council are looking for decisions regarding the scope of this project from the committee. The committee can also play a role in educating the community on library needs and serve as a focus group for the Board and Council. He encouraged committee members to be ambassadors for information and talk to friends and neighbors and ask for input.

Staff's Role

Scot Simpson indicated he and Alan Tollefson would serve as facilitators for the committee and handle paperwork, do research and provide information to help the committee reach decisions. He asked if the committee wanted to elect a chair or have facilitated meetings. Consensus seemed to be not to elect a chair. The group will attempt to create consensus, rather than take votes. In its recommendations, the group will try to come up with one or possibly two options rather than a larger number of choices.

Background on the Process to this Point

Library Director Tollefson distributed a history of library facilities in Lancaster and an outline of steps taken by the Library Board in assessing the library's collections and space needs. He then went over the handouts, a copy of which is attached to these minutes.

Brainstorming

Ideas discussed included:

• A vision of where the City is going.
• Shared location of services.
• There was a discussion of the lack of visibility for the Chamber of Commerce, especially as it relates to information for tourists, in its present location.
• There seem to be a number of historical-related groups in the community, including the Lancaster Historical Society, Grant County Historical Society, the Grant County Genealogical Society, the Nelson Dewey group, the Civil War Flag group, etc. Will these groups work together? How can we get their input into this planning process?
• There is a problem with facilities not open on the weekends for tourists.
• The library is a focal point in this project and it is important to keep the committee's focus on the library.
• Do we want to be part of regional draw, possibly working with Cassville and Potosi?
• Our current slogan is "City of the Dome." Marge Sherwin said the Chamber is working with a marketing group to find a new slogan for Lancaster and possibly a song. Kathy Kolb noted that the community band had commissioned a composer to produce a "Lancaster March" that the band has played several times.
• The City band is also a good drawing card. Kathy Kolb explained the composition and nature of the band. There was consensus that a band shell would be a good attraction and could be used for plays and other musical groups in addition to the community band concerts. Another use might be renting the shell for weddings.
• Another idea was to incorporate an arboretum and garden (in addition to the garden already maintained by the master gardeners).
• Peter from Representative Kind's office said he and the Congressman's Office will help identify possible sources of funding for a project.
• There was discussion as to whether the Chamber needed a new office or just a place to distribute tourist information. It was noted that the Library has a bulletin board to advertise area cultural events.
• Current and past cooperation between the Grant County Historical Society and the Library was noted. The groups have co-sponsored programs and the Historical Society has had exhibits at the library.
• Scot Simpson said he assumed the community feels strongly about maintaining the current library building and the present location for the library. There was unanimous consensus that was true.
• There was discussion of using the current library space for a historical purpose and putting the library in a new wing. A museum would not have to deal with the load bearing columns and aisles for book stacks. This could save money that could be better used in expanding the building. It was noted that some may object if the original part of the building built with the Schreiner donation were no longer used for library purposes. The Mayor suggested the Schreiner family could be consulted. Perhaps the area would become the "Schreiner Cultural Center."
• There was a question as to whether there were legal restrictions, either on the use of Ryland Park or on the Schreiner Library. Scot Simpson reported that the City Attorney has researched and found no deed restrictions. Mr. Ryland tried to impose several on the park land, but was "undercut" by his heirs who donated the property without any strings attached.
• There seems to be a strong community consensus that the park should not be paved over for parking. An alternative might be to use the right away for diagonal parking - on one of the quieter streets bordering the park.
• Different ways of acknowledging donors was discussed. Other libraries have used plaques and other means. The issue of "naming rights" was also discussed, as was the desirability of identifying potential major donors before launching a fund raising campaign.
• Another funding source might be Community Development Block Grant funds. Someone asked if there were grants through a Fine Arts Council or similar group. Peter from Rep. Kind's office said he would be consulting the funding experts in the office.
• The idea of two wings of the building with common areas in the middle, such as meeting space, restrooms and a lobby was discussed.
• A key question is how much space would other groups require if they were located on the site along with the library. Everyone recognized the need to include other groups in this discussion.
• Ted Anderson reviewed how he had become interested in library expansion and how the project has grown. He urged the need to still appeal to library people. Other groups might bring in their supporters as well.
• It was noted we may need subcommittees to deal with varying interests: music, history, library, etc.
• Kathy Addison asked if there had been any thought of capitalizing on the Amish heritage that has become significant in our area.
• There was discussion of including a coffee bar and picnic tables.
• The Mayor distributed a list of principles from Jack Schultz, a motivational speaker who works with smaller communities to develop their potential:
  • Adopt a can-do attitude.
  • Shape your vision.
  • Leverage your resources.
  • Raise up strong leaders.
  • Encourage an entrepreneurial approach.
  • Maintain local control.
  • Build your brand.
  • Embrace the teeter-totter factor.
• It was noted that the local cemeteries are a draw for genealogists and family members. Some communities have encouraged "homecomings" for large extended family reunions.

Schedule Next Meetings

Everyone agreed it was crucial to invite representatives of the various groups interested in the preservation of local history to the next meeting. The Mayor and City Administrator will see to it that invitations are extended.

The next meeting was set for:

Wednesday, August 24 at 7:00 p.m. in the Council Chambers

Adjourn

The meeting adjourned at 8:45 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,

Alan M. Tollefson, recorder

Library Expansion Project | Community Minutes | History of Facilities | Historical Society | Needed Assistance | Space Estimate | Process | Band Needs

Lancaster City Hall 206 S. Madison Street Lancaster, WI 53813-1799 Phone: (608) 723-4246 FAX: (608) 723-4789	Lancaster Area Chamber of Commerce 206 S. Madison St., PO Box 292 Lancaster, WI 53813 Phone: (608) 723-2820 Fax: (608) 723-7409 E-mail: Chamber@lancasterwisconsin.com
Revised May 25, 2006.