After months of waiting, the Moniteau County Library can now proceed with its building project.
With a necessary separate nonprofit approved by the Missouri Secretary of State's Office, the library can proceed with applying for a loan to fund the project and start working with Sapp Design Architects to create a concept for the facility. The library's Board of Trustees approved the creation of two signs promoting the project at its July 19 meeting, along with electing new officers and hearing an update on air conditioning issues at the current library.
Library Director Connie Beauchamp told the board the Missouri Secretary of State's Office finally approved the separate nonprofit the library has been waiting for since May. The nonprofit is required to accept the loan on the library's behalf, as the library (a public entity) cannot accept long-term debt without voter approval. Instead of a tax levy, the separate nonprofit led by the same board as the library, can obtain a low-interest U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development loan to construct the facility and lease it to the library during the loan duration.
The loan is only one source of funding for the project. Carry-over funds from previous years are going toward the project, and the library is also accepting donations to get it completed. Volunteers from the Friends of the Moniteau County Library Services nonprofit are also planning fundraisers to help meet costs. The project's budget is anticipated to be $2.4 million, with the loan only expected to be for $1-1.5 million.
With the approved articles of incorporation and bylaws in hand, Beauchamp can officially move forward with the USDA Rural Development loan application process. She must also obtain Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) and Commercial And Government Entity (CAGE) numbers for the process, which can be an involved process on their own. For instance, Beauchamp said unique email and website addresses are required for the separate nonprofit -- which will need to be set up -- to get a DUNS number.
"I wasn't really expecting that," she said. "I guess I need to create those really basic things to setup this business. ... They do all of this to make sure this is a valid, somebody not being fraudulent from overseas or whatever. And that's not even getting the CAGE number stuff from SAM.gov. It's daunting." (SAM.gov is the System for Award Management website, where people can register a business with the federal government)
Feasibility reports and an environmental study must also be completed for the USDA loan process. Denise Green, a USDA representative, told the trustees at a July 12 special open meeting that the environmental review typically takes 60 to 90 days to complete and involves notifying multiple government agencies of the project.
The architect's agreement -- between the separate nonprofit and Sapp -- can now be signed as well. Architects will then begin collecting information about the site, along with input from library staff and community members, to brainstorm a concept for the facility. Eventually a conceptual drawing will be developed to give community members an idea of what the facility will look like.
Until then, the library board approved the creation of two basic signs to be placed on the facility's future site -- at 209 S. Oak St. -- to promote the project. The 4-by-8-foot plywood signs will feature the text "Future Home Site" and the Moniteau County Library logo. Board member Melissa Hindman, of California will do the artwork on the sign with member Mark Bogue, of Jamestown, applying sealing varnish to protect it from weather.
Trustees also elected new officers of the board. Lou Ann Wolfe, of Jamestown, will serve as the board president with Hindman as vice president. Bogue will be secretary and Paul Bloch, of California, will continue as treasurer. Outgoing president Mike Staton is still on the board as a member.
Director's report
In her report to the board, Beauchamp provided an update on air conditioning issues and internet issues at the library.
Beauchamp said the air conditioning system serving Heyssel Hall on the second floor was being replaced after its compressor failed. The work was expected to begin July 19. However, a second unit -- serving the northern side of the first floor -- kept icing up, despite not cooling, and would not defrost despite being turned off. She added a technician replacing the Heyssel Hall unit would take a look at the northern unit.
"I can't believe that thing didn't thaw out in the heat," Beauchamp said, adding temperatures in the library reached 90 degrees with the pipe still iced over.
Air conditioning wasn't the only thing out at the library. An issue with a network firewall resulted in public access to the internet being cut, although staff were able to reconnect to resume operations.
Beauchamp said the failure occurred after MORENet, a Columbia-based internet service provider (ISP), communicated with Stimulus Technologies, a Jefferson City ISP that services the library. She added MORENet previously received state funds to provide a firewall and wireless access points to the library, but the library opted to have Stimulus Technologies maintain the equipment because of lower fees.
"(MORENet) got permission from me to contact Stimulus, and all of a sudden on Monday our computers wouldn't come on," Beauchamp said. "Our firewall was completely out, and so there's some kind of snafu. We're working on it."
Public internet access was eventually restored.
Beauchamp also reported on the 50 programs that occurred during June. More than 1,400 children participated in the programs, with 324 students being from California Elementary School alone. A full report of the summer reading program will be presented at the August meeting.
Circulation and inventory growth were strong in June, she added, with 14 new library cards issued and 200 new items added to the collection.
"We're going to have to just stop buying things that are not on the best-seller list, and I hate doing that but we have to do something," Beauchamp said regarding the crowding of materials in the facility. She is hopeful bringing up additional shelving and rearranging materials can allow the library to avoid placing other items into storage.
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The Moniteau County Library Board of Trustees will meet again at 10 a.m. Aug. 16 on the second floor of the library, 501 S. Oak St.