Disappointed with the decision

As a past director of the Pike County Public Library I was greatly disappointed by the decision to purchase the Biondo Building. At the same meeting the board authorized a fund raising effort to raise $500,000, the estimated amount of the short fall that will be necessary to complete the purchase and renovation of the Biondo Building. From the very beginning of this board’s efforts to build a building with a projected cost of $8,500,000 I questioned how you can start any building without all or a substantial portion of the costs in the bank. The current plans are a repeat of the same poor planning. At a recent board meeting I learned that a number of the current directors asked for and received their money back. I now learn that the staff had planed to have a brunch to raise funds for the library operating expenses but it had to be cancelled for lack of support. If the directors want their money back and do not support the staff in their plans to raise operating funds, how do they expect to raise the funds for their current project? I raise this question when they are hoping to receive $2,000.000 in state grants. These grants were originally awarded based on an 18,000 square-foot building that wlll never be built. In addition all of the states are cutting back due to shape of the national economy. The question has to be asked, “what are the library’s chances of receiving, half, if anything from the state?” Finally I must praise our library staff for their efforts and hope that the recent cancellation will not have a negative effect on the overall morale of our great staff. W.L. Griffin Jr. Milford