Creation of a Hennessey Historical Society to restore or fund a new library received a unanimous showof- hands approval from all 17 in the audience during the town’s Library Building Committee meeting last week.

That vote came after an hour of discussion during which Committee Chair Jack Quirk asked the audience how many want to keep the town’s current building and 75 percent voted “yes.”

Quirk said the historical society, or another non-profit, could be deeded the property from the town, or the town could keep the property and lease it to the historical society.

After a fundraising discussion only three hands went up in the audience when Quirk asked who would want to serve on a historical society board.

Other committee members present at the 7 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 29, meeting were Richard Simunek, town trustee, and Ann Taylor, Friends of the Library representative who also served as minutes clerk. Absent were Town Trustee David Jones and Town Administrator Tiffany Tillman.

In the audience were Anne Casey Jones, Pam Haines, Cathy Howard, Tim Riddle, Lovie James, Jean Stribel, Tim Taylor, Jennifer Leo Blanco, Opaleta Blalock, Kelly Troyer, Karen Vogt, Kevin Hopkins, Nancy LaPorte, Charles LaPorte, Wilma Adams, Cathie Arnold, Barb Walter and Library Director Steven Mitchell.

But first …

Quirk said the 94-yearold building “needs a lot of work and the electrical is scary.”

“We have no facts” on exactly what work has to be done, added Taylor.

“It will take $12,000 for an as-built (blueprints),” said Quirk.

It was suggested Quirk tell the town board it’s needed before they can proceed with any plans.

Quirk said he would do so at the board’s next meeting because he needs to report to them.

That entire report by ICWA Group, Norman, is on the town’s website under “Assessment Report for Library.” Note: Simunek and the town split the $3,500 cost for that architect’s report.

$9 million cost?

The cost to update and make repairs to the existing 94-year-old building had been estimated at $9 million at one time, Quirk said. Then he asked, “Does the town really need a 3,000 square foot library” that includes an auditorium?

Several agreed that much space isn’t needed for a library and one said she believed “our town has such rich history that we need a museum.”

“Just look around,” said another about items in the library’s history center where they met.

Simunek’s $3.1 million gift upon his death is to maintain the building, not build it, said Quirk.

Simunek corrected him: “$3.3 million,” he said, and that his fund through the Communities Foundation of Oklahoma generates about 5 percent each month.

“That’s about $150,000ish a year,” said Quirk.

He suggested that once a plan is decided that donors could give property, or leave a portion of their life insurance, to the library. He said they could be helped to secure loans for a new structure.

Town Can’t Afford It

Quirk told the audience

that the town is currently financially unable to restore, or build, another library.

The town was able to construct a new swimming pool, said audience member Kelly Troyer who asked, “So why can’t they help the library?”

The pool was built by a sales tax increase asked by the town, and approved by a vote of the people, he was told.

That brought up the question of why the town doesn’t come up with a bond issue to fix, or build, another library.

Note: the town board has said it would take too long to pay off a loan of that magnitude because the town has such a small property tax base, as opposed to the school that can pay off large loans in four or five years.

Simunek suggested, as he has in the past, that the town call an election to see if people want to keep the library.

Quirk said that wouldn’t help because it’s easy to say you want it, but not that you want to pay for it.

“My students enjoy their time in the library,” said Jennifer Leo Blanco, a fifth and sixth grade reading teacher at Hennessey Middle School. “Students are sentimental about their time there (in activities and summer programs), and are emotionally attached.”