Mahoning commissioners agree to support preserving Poland Library
.jpg "Poland branch of the Public Library of Youngstown and Mahoning County")
The Village of Poland, Poland Township Trustees and the Mahoning County Commissioners all passed resolutions supporting keeping the Poland Library in its current location.
Local residents and members of the Save Your Library Citizens Group recently urged county commissioners to preserve the Poland Public Library, according to Citizen Portal.
The Save Your Library Citizens Group also presented a petition with more than 2,000 signatures asking the board of the Public Library of Youngstown and Mahoning County to keep the branch in Poland.
Back in May, the PLYMC board voted to explore relocation of the Poland Library, built in 2001.
The decision came after library leaders brought in several architects and engineers to examine the structural integrity of the building, according to Aimee Fifarek, director and CEO of PLYMC.
“We have been assured by the experts that this building is safe for use. However, the problems facing this building date back to the original design and construction and they are not going away,” Fifarek said.
Dave Smith is a trustee of the Poland Historical Society and a member of the Save Your Library Citizens Group who spoke during the public-comment portion of the commissioner’s meeting.
“Our one and only goal is to keep the Poland library at its present location,” Smith said.
Tom Frost is a trustee who represents the PLYMC. Frost said the library board has voted only to explore options and that “there has been no decision to vacate.”
The first option PLYMC has looked into to address the facility challenges of the Poland Branch includes maintaining the existing building which will cost around $8 million.
For maintenance, the library will need essential repairs and system replacements, including specific sections of siding showing deterioration that will be removed and replaced, but the entire building will not be resided.
The second option focuses on renovating the existing building, a plan estimated to cost twice as much as the first at $16.1 million.
That’ll include a complete interior reconfiguration and renovation of the first floor and lower level of the library, as well as water management around the perimeter of the building.
The final option is to relocate the library by constructing a new facility or renovating an alternate facility which could cost between $11.5 and $15 million.
