June 22 – Officials from both Cullman City and Cullman County have taken the first steps to revitalize the Cullman County Public Library.
During the library board’s regular meeting on Thursday, June 20, Director Amber Thornton said she, Cullman Mayor Woody Jacobs and Cullman County Commission Chairman Jeff Clemons met last week to discuss the libraries’ needs.
Thornton said Clemons and Jacobs responded immediately by approving Birmingham, Alabama-based architectural firm Williams Blackstock to move forward with a feasibility study to determine the exact nature of expansions and renovations.
They called back later that same afternoon and had already talked about it. They agreed that the library is the heart of the county and that they both need to come together to come up with a plan to get some long overdue updates through and information to give us some extra space,” Thornton said.
Williams Blackstock has already provided design services to a number of public libraries across the state, including the Trussville Library, the Pell City Library and the renovation of the Foley County Library. Several of the company’s designs can also be seen in well-known Alabama facilities such as the University Hall at the University of Alabama, the Iron City music venue in downtown Birmingham, the Red Diamond headquarters and the Children’s Hospital of Alabama, the Lee Building in Birmingham.
Thornton said the company has offered to conduct the feasibility study, which is estimated to cost about $18,000, at no charge.
No exact details are available at this time for the project, but Thornton said it would be completed in several phases, the first of which will likely include updating the interior of the current building and expanding into the small parking lot at the east side. . She said there have also been discussions about the possibility of adding a second floor to the building in one of the later phases.
Thornton said she was unsure when the study would be conducted, but hoped she would have a plan she could present to the City Council and County Commission before Oct. 1, when annual budgets are typically approved.
In other matters the board:
— Approved severe weather plan prepared with assistance from former Cullman County EMA Director Phyllis Little.
– Was informed that previously approved purchase of a bookmobile from Eckenrod Ford would have to be rescinded after it was discovered that the vehicle did not meet bid specifications.
– Announced that there would be no meeting in July, but would reconvene at the library on August 15 at noon.
