Posted by: hbrand - 03/09/10

BRAND/Eddie Farrell
With Deaf Smith County Commissioner Pat Smith looking on, County Librarian Rebecca Walls clarifies some issues with the County Commission Monday regarding a $100,000 grant to refurbish bathrooms and the downstairs area of the library.

By Eddie Farrell, BRAND Staff Writer

The Deaf Smith Commissioners Court Monday authorized Library Director Rebecca Walls to continue with her attempts to secure a $100,000 grant for upgrades to the library, but insisted on initiating a formal bid process to ascertain an accurate estimate for the work.

Walls told the Commission she had solicited “informal” bids from two area contractors to base her $100,000 estimate to refurbish the bathrooms and downstairs area at the library.

The Commission tabled action on the matter in February when Walls was unable to clearly explain to the panel exactly how the dollar amounts in the grant request were calculated.

According to the terms of the grant, the county is responsible for a 65 percent payback; initially Walls told the Commission the grant would require a 50 percent match.

Questions also arose how $11,787 in “in kind” contributions were figured into the grant application.

On Monday, Walls explained the “in kind” contributions, which range from memorials and donations of furniture and donated labor by library staff, were included to maximize the grant amount being applied for from the USDA Community Facilities Grant.

She then told the panel, however, that the “in-kind” funds “is not county money,” and could not be used to reduce the $60,875 the county would be expected to repay USDA for its share of the matching funding.

In authorizing Walls to move forward with the grant process, the Commission expressly rejected accepting USDA’s proposal to repay the county debt at 4 percent interest over a 40-year period.

County Judge Tom Simons said he has talked with local bankers who have offered a lower interest rate, and the intent now is to borrow money locally and repay the federal grant over a four or five year period.

The Commission also insisted that a formal bid process must be initiated, meaning it will be at least another 30 days before a final cost of the project will be made public.

Simons also told Walls that if the bids are greatly out of line with Walls’ initial estimate, it would be possible the Commission could reject the entire grant.

In other action, the Commission agreed to immediately reduce the speed limit on Mini Street from 25 miles per hour to 15 mph.

Commissioner Pat Smith told the panel he had received a number of complaints from residents on the street of speeding vehicles and asked for the reduction in speed.

Smith said the Deaf Smith County Sheriff’s Office was immediately notified of the reduced speed, but acknowledged it will take “several days” for new signage, to include “children at play” signs, are installed on Mini Street.

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