Wimberley Library names building committee members

Trustees of the Wimberley Village Library District have established a building committee to select and work with architects to expand the library at 400 FM 2325.

The committee includes three trustees, so meeting dates, times and places will be posted as required by law.

The first meeting was conducted last week. Aileen Edgington, a trustee, is chair of the committee.

Other trustees on the panel include Dr. Patrick Cox and Dell Hood, who is chairman of the library district board of trustees. Also on the committee are Carolyn Manning, library director; Carroll Wilson, representing the library foundation; Dennis Lee, representing the Friends of the Library; and Michael Morgan, longtime library supporter.

The building committee has a proposed design, produced by MarmonMok of San Antonio, as a starting point for discussion.

However, an architect will be hired through a request-for-proposals process and after individual interviews and other vetting are conducted.

Right now, the working budget for the project is $4 million.

In January, trustees outlined a proposal that will be formally introduced later to the Hays County Commissioners Court seeking county assistance in selling bonds on the open market to finance $2.25 million of the total. While the trustees can legally borrow money elsewhere, the county has a very favorable bond rating which will mean a lower interest rate on the loaned funds, lower payments and faster payback.

Already, the trustees have purchased about 2.8 acres of land due north of the present library and due west of Chapel in the Hills. It’s anticipated the expansion with additional parking would go, in part, on that parcel.

With the help of others in the community, the library foundation has been trying to raise awareness of the need for expansion of the library and to raise funds to support the plan.

For more information, contact Carolyn Manning at [email protected].