(Below is a message from our board Vice President and head of our building committee, Cookie Kaste. Apologies for any formatting errors that may have occurred across platforms! -Samma)
I’m so happy to share some information about the grant we recently received for our new library. Since some of you may not have read the full press release, so I’ll begin by providing the goals of the grant and also the criteria upon which Cadott received the grant.
The Flexible Facilities Program is funded through the U.S. Department of Treasury’s Capital Projects Fund program, which was established through the American Rescue Plan of 2021. The goals are to:
- Directly support recovery from the COVID-19 public health emergency by strengthening and improving the infrastructure necessary for participation in work, education, and health monitoring that will last beyond the pandemic.
- Enable investments in capital assets designed to address inequities in access to critical services; and
- Provide the modern infrastructure necessary to access critical services, including a high-quality and affordable broadband internet connection.
Minimum Criteria that an applicant’s project had to meet:
- Must include constructing a new or renovating or expanding an existing library, community center, or multi-purpose community facility, and
- Must include the purchase and/or installation of broadband and/or other digital connectivity technology (e.g., digital connectivity equipment, devices, services) that provide public access to high speed internet, and
- Must directly enable work, education, and health monitoring.
General construction or improvement of traditional schools are ineligible for this program.
Eligible Community Facility Examples: Libraries, senior citizen centers, youth centers, general community centers, etc.
(Read in full: https://energyandhousing.wi.gov/Pages/AgencyResources/FlexibleFacilities.aspx)
Cadott was awarded $3,747,710 to assist with the construction of a new public library, which will benefit approximately 5,000 individuals, including those who were disproportionately affected by the coronavirus pandemic and those with limited healthcare and technology access. The new public library space will feature two telemedicine rooms, two multi-purpose spaces, and a computer lab with seven desktop computers. This project will include enhanced access to medical, educational, and employment opportunities.
(Read the full press release: https://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/WIGOV/bulletins/3ba7e99?fbclid=IwY2xjawF1FvJleHRuA2FlbQIxMAABHWIx6QFgH47xHZ3SkMi6_WciTuVkGKeCXBdkvt7lLnoXXP8w-bEXFgcT5A_aem_eljbcWW2nngCD_qUSgeyUg)
Over the past 20 years, Library Board members have been working to secure a building that is ADA compliant and meets the needs of our patrons. During the past four years, the Library Board and committed community members developed an architectural plan and forged a capital campaign for a library with an adjoining multipurpose room. The goal was to construct the building without additional tax funding. Building updates have regularly been shared on the library website and on the library’s social media accounts.
On May 20, 2024 the Cadott Village Board voted to apply for the grant with the State Hwy. 27 and Mills St. location, for the library. Committee members and Cedar Corporation immediately went to work, and Village Clerk April submitted the application on the July 11 deadline.
Being awarded the $3.7 million dollar grant was a dream-come-true for library committee members. As many of you know, government grants (necessarily so) come with stipulations and requirements. To align with grant criteria, committee members assessed community needs and deficits related to medical, educational, and employment opportunities, then determined library spaces, programs, technology, materials and resources to best serve the library patrons and visitors.
A few modifications and additions to the building conceptual plan were made to better match grant requirements. For example, healthcare equipment, such as blood pressure cuffs, iPads/readers and hotspots, to be borrowed by patrons, were included. Conference rooms were outfitted with technology for private telehealth conferencing and job interviews. Furnishings, AV equipment and other technology for the multipurpose space were included to enable a variety of presentations, classes, meetings, workshops and events.
Although the grant will fund the vast majority of our project, some expenses are not eligible under this grant. Among these are: bringing high speed internet to the building site, grant writing, additional audit expenses, moving costs, maintenance, and upkeep. Library Trustees and the Building Committee intend to continue pursuing donations, grants, memorials and fundraising efforts to ensure the new library will serve this community for years to come.
We intend to keep the community informed of decisions and progress throughout this exciting process. Per the grant timeline, groundbreaking will occur before July of 2025, with project completion by September 2026. Please share your thoughts, ideas or concerns with our library director, staff, or trustees, and visit the library website FAQ, where questions will be posted and updated.
We anticipate that regular Building Committee meetings will resume in November, beginning November 14th, at the Elementary School library. These meetings are open to the public.