Hennessey’s library director told town board members the rumors are swirling about the future of the library.

“The word is already out that the library could be closing,” Lyndsey Kopsa, library director, told the town board. “One gentleman came in and picked up his collection.”

Board members appeared surprised at her comment when they started a discussion about the “future of the library” during their Thursday, May 12, meeting.

Plans for the 94-year-old building have been a usual town meeting topic for more than a year.

This month, however, Trustee Harold Shaw requested the agenda item.

That’s instead of Trustee Richard Simunek, a local preservationist. Simunek has championed the need to bring the library building back to life since he came on the board four years ago.

Board members have been told it could cost upwards of $8 million to refurbish it. The brick structure was a high school, then a grade school, until the town bought the property in 1983 and moved in town offices and the library the next year.

Town Hall was later moved to its First and Main streets location.

There has been no discussion about the “old school gym” at the south end of the library property.

Another stand-alone brick school building south of the library was demolished by the town in May 2001 after 10 years of talk about what to do with it.

In 2008, the town built a community storm shelter. It is attached to the north side of the gym that’s located in the south end of the property.

Get something done

“It’s time for us to step up to the plate and get something done about the library,” Shaw told board members last week. “It’s a safety issue.”

“The library was just designated as the voting site for (June) primary elections,” said Vice Mayor Clif Vogt.

For the past few years the board has talked about library issues, but has had no money to make the number of repairs.

“That building has been ignored too long,” Shaw said.

After an hour, or longer, of discussion, no action was taken.

No election, but library poll

Simunek offered to donate $2,500 to cover costs for the board to call an election and ask voters if the town should preserve, or tear down, “the old high school building.”

“I feel like we were elected to make decisions,” said Mayor Bert Gritz.

After an election didn’t get a thumbs up, Simunek opted for a suggestion from Acting Police Chief Aaron Pitts. He’d said “put it up on an online poll.”

Simunek later agreed to work with Jack Quirk (All About Hennessey) and come up with wording for the poll question.

Library site is sentimental

Tillman said many people have great memories of the library building because they went to high school or elementary there.

That was also a problem when the town gave up its lease (in 2017)with the school on the old pool site.

There were many people upset over that and when the town had to go without a pool, they turned out (in August 2018) to approve the new pool tax by a large margin, she said.

Jones said that was a good way to look at getting a new library.

Downsize? Keep it? Buy Clipper building?

“Is it time to downsize it?” Shaw asked.

The library houses the Ortman Auditorium (with a balcony, stage and basement), the history center, a war memorial, spaces for children and teen programs, computer areas, kitchen and eating area, public and staff bathrooms.

“Should we keep the building? Buy another building in town?” Shaw asked.

“It’s a 22,000 square foot building,” said Gritz. “Do we need that much space?”

Then Gritz suggested they consider buying the old Hennessey Clipper building at 117 S. Main St. that’s empty and next door (north) of Town Hall.

“It would give us an easier transition,” Gritz said. “We could put a door between the two buildings.”

26,000 library books/movies

“There are 26,000 books and movies in our library, not including our history section,” said the director.

She was asked about the number of digital readers and paper book readers each month.

Trustee David Jones, the newest board member, also asked about the use of the library.

They have between 150-200 e-books checked out each month and about the same number for adults, and also children paper books.

“So about 600 a month,” she said.

Library is safe place

Board members asked if more libraries are going digital and she said many have, but, “The library is a good, safe place for children to come to and interact with other children,” Kopsa said.

“We have 10-15 teens who come once a week. They feel like it’s a place where they can be themselves and lots of people say they enjoy coming to the building, but I guess the issue here is with the building.”

Library’s budget, use by community

“What’s the library’s yearly budget?” asked Jones.

Town Administrator Tiffany Tillman said it’s $95,000 and that includes salaries.

The insurance on the building runs $5,000 a year, said Gritz.

“It’s the only structure the town owns that isn’t insured for replacement cost.”

Jones suggested that if they move the library, they might combine the public library with the school’s facility, or donate books to the Kingfisher library and have book sales.

He asked about the library groups.

Tillman said the Library Board is a five-member appointed advisory board and Friends of the Library is a non-profit group that promotes and supports the library and sponsors events.

Library staff quit

“We’ve already lost our library staff,” said Shaw.

“I’m here until July,” said Kopsa, who has worked at the library for three years and said last month she’ll return to her Kansas hometown and work there in August.

However, Jenny Moreno-Valles, the children’s librarian, resigned and her last day was April 29.

That has made it difficult since Kopsa has been the only library staffer there for the past two weeks, she said.

The “peak season” at the library will start as soon as school is out (that was last Friday), Kopsa said.

She said because of transitions they will probably have to shorten summer programming for youngsters and teens.

Tillman said they have a few applicants for those jobs and they want to hire the director first so that person can have input on hiring their assistant.

She said they also have an opening in the streets and parks department.

Kopsa thanked the board for hiring her and for having a great experience working for the community.

The board thanked and applauded Kopsa.

“Discover Hennessey” promotion OK’d

A proposal by Jack Quirk to create “Discover Hennessey” on his All About Hennessey website to promote the town was unanimously approved by the board “as long as funds are available.”

The cost for the two-year program is $3,500 a month and it will be paid through hotel/motel taxes returned to the town.

Quirk said there is currently $185,000 in that dedicated account to promote the town and events.

Those taxes generate about $1,500 each month, he told the board.

“We haven’t had a chamber of commerce for years,” Quirk said, “and essentially that’s what All About Hennessey does by covering school and other community events.”

Phase I of the project includes preparing the town to accept tourists and visitors which includes curb appeal and branding (consistent logos on everything from letterhead, signage on everything from the letterhead, to park signs, to the water tower), Quirk said.

He said they will create marketing for outdoor venues and he wants to create two more major events in addition to the Wine & Chocolate Festival and the Cruisin’ Oklahoma car event.

“The Chisholm Trail runs right down our Main Street and we might even have a Trail Festival,” he said. “And we need to upgrade the (downtown) audio/speakers.”

Vogt said some people don’t use websites and suggested that printed materials also give a phone number for more information.

Quirk agreed.

His arrangement with the town does not include “hard costs such as printing, labor to install items such as large signage, postage or travel expenses.”

Other items approved

The meeting lasted four hours and these items were approved:

• Utility rates raised. 10% raise to water/sewer customers and 3% in garbage rates effective July 1.

• Howdy Truck Stop contract amended to install water/sewer/street infrastructure for future tax rebate agreement (4-1 vote with Shaw voting no).

• Two automatic guns added to the police department’s surplus fire arm list: HK UMP .45 auto SN-163-005251, with four magazines and a Bushmaster AR15 .223-5.56MM, SN-AL004167. Pitts said because they are automatic weapons, only authorized dealers would be able to bid on them by sealed bid. No date has been scheduled for a surplus auction.

• Ginger Hladik was appointed to a three year term on Library Board to replace Paul Caffey.

• Routine grant contract approved to pay NODA for administration on CDBG grant. Also, a contract with Cowan Engineering for sanitary sewer system evaluation and study to be paid for OWRB.

No action taken

• New pavilion. Simunek asked the board to endorse their support to place a pavilion on his lots and town lots south of the former Roy Johnson Lumber Co. He said he needs something in his hands to give to people when he asks for money to support that project. Simunek said he’d give the town his property. An architect will cost $7,000 for the project. Board members suggested he work with Quirk since that project deals with boosting the town’s tourism.

• Sidewalk repairs. Tillman to check with ODOT about slanted sidewalks on Main St. (U.S. Highway 81) and said in residential areas that homeowners are responsible for upkeep.

• Food truck regulations were questioned by Tony Blackburn, owner of Golden Chick. Tillman said she will check with the town attorney. Currently, there are no town licenses. The town sends an officer to a food truck to make sure they have all of the required state licenses for health, etc. Tillman said Kingfisher also does that.

• First budget review for 2022-23.

• Trustee handbook and development of meeting protocols.

• 24-hour police dispatch. (See additional story.)