Aledo City Council signs off on taking over library

The Aledo City Council officially signed off on becoming the new owner of the East Parker County Library at its meeting on June 27.

Three residents rose to speak in favor of the proposal in which the City of Aledo will acquire all library assets — its property at 201 FM 1187, all personal property, books, furniture, computers, and other equipment. The city will also receive all library funds on hand except for $15,000, which will be used to start a non-profit library support organization.

Once construction is complete on Aledo’s new city hall, the library will be moved to that facility.

In Making their case for the transfer agreement, the local residents who rose to speak referred to the city’s motto: “Rich Heritage — Dynamic Future.”

“How fitting is it that 30 years ago to the month a group of Aledo citizens came to this very body and spoke about how our community needed a library,” said area resident Cameron Hanover. “And that body said yes and we got our wonderful little humble library right there. This body now has the opportunity to enhance the library for all generations to come.”

Pam Oetinger, a member of the library board, also rose to speak.

“On behalf of the board. I'm very happy to say that we voted unanimously to approve that agreement and we hope that all of you do the same tonight,” Oetinger said. “Having the library in the city hall will help build community relationships. It will bring people together, whether it's our summer programs, the makerspace activities, reading groups, people will come together finding common purposes here in the city of Aledo.”

Library board member Cathy Mason recalled some of the financial struggles the private library has dealt with in the past. She acknowledged that there are some people in the community were not in favor of the city taking on the financial obligation of the library. 

“I think that's fair,” Mason said. “But again over the last 30-some years, the city residents have been blessed with a pretty much free to them community resource that all the surrounding towns have donated money and time to.

City Manager Noah Simon told the council that the discussion with the library board have been going on “for quite some time.”

Aledo City Council member Shawna Ford, who is also president of the library board, abstained from the council vote in order to avoid a conflict of interest. Otherwise, the vote was unanimous.