Federal pandemic funds to pay for Grafton library improvements

The USS Liberty Memorial Library in Grafton will see major improvements this year after the Grafton Village Board approved spending as much as $188,000 in federal coronavirus funds to complete upgrade projects. 

The American Rescue Plan Act funds will be used to replace library windows, make roof improvements and repair the library’s elevator. 

The board unanimously approved the projects, contingent on the Town of Grafton agreeing to fund their portion of the project, during a Sept. 7 meeting. 

Village Administrator Jesse Thyes said that in addition to the library’s aging roof and elevator, seals on the windows have deteriorated. 

“They are fogging up because of broken seals,” he said. 

Thyes said that completing the library improvement projects this year will enable the village to use ARPA funds for additional projects in 2022. 

Any ARPA spending over $750,000 in a fiscal year triggers an audit, so spending $188,000 on the projects this year will allow the village an additional $750,000 in spending in 2022, he said. 

Quotes obtained by Library Director John Hanson estimate the project costs at $75,000 for window replacements, $40,000 for roof repairs and $45,000 for elevator repairs. 

The Town of Grafton will fund 21.43% of the project while the village will fund the remaining 78.57%. 

The Town of Grafton was expected to vote on their portion of the project during a Sept. 8 meeting. 

Hanson said he expected the town to approve the projects because of its smaller portion of the total cost and how much the work is needed to protect the integrity of the library. 

“They’re pretty much all critical, so I feel good about them,” he said. 

The percentages are based on the library’s cost share ratio, which is formulated by using the number of library card holders in the town and village. 

The library improvements were selected by the village’s Committee of the Whole as one of the ways funds should be spent.