Scenic Regional Library’s Board of Trustees voted unanimously Aug. 25 to proceed with plans to renovate the former Alco building in Hermann as a permanent branch facility.

“We have a $1.4 to $1.5 million budget for the renovations at this time,” said the library system’s director, Steven Campbell in an email response to questions asked by The Republican. “This includes the design fees, shelving, furniture, signage, and moving expenses.”

Library trustees in February chose Horn Architects out of Washington, Mo., to design the facility inside the 25,000 square foot Alco building which has been vacant for several years.

Scenic Regional Library’s directors previously authorized spending $445,000 for the former Alco building, according to Campbell. “The renovation budget does not include  the cost of the building,” he noted.

Due to the uncertainty during the COVID-19 pandemic, however,  contract approval with the Horn agency was twice tabled including meetings during March and June.

The library’s September newsletter cites “uncertain finances in 2021 due to COVID” as the reason for the delay.

The library system bought the building, located off of Highway 19 near the Route H junction in the     Bavarian Hills Shopping Center, in 2019. According to Campbell in the newsletter, “the library plans to convert approximately one-third of the building into the new library, while seeking tenants for the remaining space.”

Library trustees are expected to receive the final design for approval in February 2021. The library expects to begin construction on the project later in 2021.

Campbell noted in the newsletter the Hermann facility will be the final component of the library system’s $22 million system-wide building project, which began in 2016 with passage of a voter approved tax levy increase.

New, or expanded and renovated facilities, were opened between May and September 2018 in Warrenton, Wright City, Owensville, New Haven, Pacific, Sullivan, and St. Clair. The new Union branch and administrative offices were opened in August 2019. Owensville received a new facility.

Wright named new branch manager in Hermann

Kasey Wright, of Washington, has been hired as the new Hermann branch manager. She replaces Tina Coates who resigned in July, the library system announced.

Wright took over as the Hermann branch manager on Aug. 17. She was hired as a part-time library assistant at the Hermann branch in March 2019 and became the library’s full-time “floater” in September 2019.

Macee Jarvis, interim manager at the Hermann branch from July to August 2020, was named as the new manager in Union. She also served as interim manager at New Haven from April to July 2019.