Jasper Library: Referendum question approved; fundraising efforts up to $2.7 million

Only one final step remains to get the Jasper Library referendum question approved for the ballot for this November’s election.

Jasper Library Director Christine Golden told the board during Thursday’s board meeting the referendum question had been approved by the Department of Local Government Finance (DLGF) on June 28th. The final approval should come on Monday morning at 7:30 a.m. from the Dubois County Election Board in a special meeting at the County Courthouse.

Following the Monday Election Board meeting, the library board will send out a notice announcing the approval along with the text of the question as it will appear on the ballot.

In the letter of approval, the DLGF says,  “Wherefore, based on the above findings and applicable law, the Department finds that the proposed language is in compliance with 6-1.1-20-3.6(c) and approves the language as proposed. The Department certifies a rate of $0.0595 per $100 of assessed valuation.”

To see how the referendum will impact property taxpayers in the areas it impact, the library has created a website with a calculator and extensive FAQ.

[button link=”http://myjasperlibrary.org” size=”small” color=”aqua” text=”dark”]Jasper Library Information[/button]

A unifying aspect of the project has been the creation of the Jasper LEADs fundraising project. Through Jasper LEADs — Library, Enrichment, Arts and Downtown — the fundraising for several large projects including the new library is under one roof.

Library board president Dean Vonderheide reported momentum in the fundraising efforts has produced solid results with more coming. To date, Jasper LEADs has collected a million dollars in pledges; with the $1.7 million commitment from Jim and Pat Thyen that brings the total up to $2.7 million of the $8 million goal.

Reaching the overall $8 million goal for the capital campaign would insure that all of the major projects could benefit from funding. About $2 million of that is slated to offset the cost of the new library.

Vonderheide went on to remind the community that the Jasper LEADs organization was set up so that Jasper area residents don’t experience donor fatigue with representatives from each of the organizations knocking on many doors with their hands out for contributions.

“The number one priority for Jasper LEADs is the cultural center and making sure that the arts and the library are funded to move into the cultural center,” Vonderheide said. “Beyond that we are looking at recognizing the matching grant from the Thyens with some development for the existing auditorium (at the Jasper Arts Center) and renovating it to become ADA compliant.”

The Next Act, Inc. is next with the development of the Astra Theater.

Finally, the downtown Jasper Redevelopment project would be a beneficiary of the money raised, although Vonderheide acknowledged that the changing picture of what exactly the needs are for that project aren’t entirely certain at this point.

Library Director Golden stated that the presentation by City Properties Group on the cultural center has been very positive.  She said that what was most important to her is the fact that City Properties has been very receptive to ideas from the library on what would work best for a library at the Hoosier Desk site.

“We’re looking at this as being our home for years and years,” she said. “We want to make sure the design gives us plenty of flexibility that will continue to meet the needs.”

She said that in the drawings presented by City Properties, the library portion of the cultural center will be placed at the southeast end of the site, not along Mill Street as originally envisioned.

That provides better access by vehicle to and from the library. Golden says one of the things she’s been hearing from patrons is, “Make it easy for us to get to.”

The board also passed a new gift policy and a resolution to establish a brokerage account.

These two items allow the board to accept gifts other than monetary donations. For example, stocks and bonds. The idea is to be able to liquefy those gifts and other financial instruments into cash to be used by the library in the manner consistent with their goals and needs.

Finally, the budget meeting for the library boards (both the Contractual and Jasper) to finish their budget. That meeting is on August 11, 2016 at 3:30 pm in the Annex building. The budget hearing is on September 8, 2016 at 5:15 pm at the Ferdinand branch. The budget adoption is set for October 13, 2016 at 4:30 pm at the Annex building in Jasper.