Library Supporters Want You To Sign Petition For Molino Library By Today

February 2, 2010

Supporters of a new library in Molino have gathered several pages of petition signatures, and they are asking Molino and Cantonment area residents to sign the petition by today.

Petitions in support of the library are available through today at Scott’s Pharmacy and Fran’s Diner in Molino, and Sharon’s Diner and Grandview Florist in Cantonment.

Last year, Escambia County purchased the old Molino School on Highway 95A for $400,000 for a library, community center and perhaps a museum. The county has budgeted funds toward the renovations, but additional funding from the state is needed to complete the library.

molinolibrary.jpgIn 2007, the county applied for a $500,000 state library construction grant. That 2007 application was ranked number two for funding among 23 applicants; but, the Florida Legislature did not fund any applicants. The county has already committed $510,408 in matching local option sales tax funds toward the $1,010,408 total library cost. The same application was again re-submitted in 2008 and ranked number three, but due to funding constraints, the Legislature did not fund any projects. The county has submitted the grant request a third time.

“This $500,000 is vitally important for the construction of the library and the furnishings inside,” Gene Fischer, director of the West Florida Library wrote in an email sent  to library supporters. Fisher asked in the email that supporters contact members of the legislative delegation and encourage them to approve the funding this year.

Escambia County currently does not have a library between the Tryon Library, located on Langley Avenue a short distance from Sacred Heart Hospital, and the Century Branch Library — a distance of about 40 miles. Fischer said that library supporters have tried for 12 years to locate a library in the middle portion of the county.

“This is an opportunity to fulfill that need,” he wrote. “Please let the legislators know that this construction is not only to support formal and informal education, but it is also an economic stimulus to the ailing state construction industry.”

The grant, if awarded by the legislature, would require the county to use the facility as a library in Molino for a minimum of 20 years.

Comments

4 Responses to “Library Supporters Want You To Sign Petition For Molino Library By Today”

  1. Cheryl on February 2nd, 2010 5:19 pm

    I made a special stop at the Grandview Florist to sign the petition and they had NO CLUE what I was talking about. I gave them a print-out of the article and they never heard about a petition. Whoever supplied information for these locations got it wrong. At least at the florist.

  2. Splat on February 2nd, 2010 2:30 pm

    I would love to sign it but I have plans….We need a library.

  3. EMD on February 2nd, 2010 11:17 am

    I cannot just “run down the road” to sign a petition. Why was this notification so late? Tomorrow, I could sign it. Last week I could have signed it. Can we sign online?

  4. Cheryl on February 2nd, 2010 8:41 am

    Maybe I missed it, but have we heard about Signing a Petition before today? I know we were encouraged to send letters of support to the politicians earlier but never heard about the petition. I’ll sign it today!