Palmer city to raise funds for library reconstruction; Police chief announces his retirement

New Palmer city manager Kolby Zerkel was given a new assignment by the city council at its meeting last Tuesday, May 13. It is to lead the city’s fund-raising effort to help pay for replacing Palmer’s public library that was damaged and essentially destroyed in a roof collapse in early 2023.

The latest budget for the replacement is $15.5 million, but that will almost surely increase when bids come in. While insurance and a $5 million state grant can cover part of that there will still be a funding gap.

In a separate development, long-time Palmer police chief Dwayne Shelton told the council Tuesday that he will retire May 31. Shelton has been with the Palmer police since 1997 and has been its chief since 2020.

The council has meanwhile set a fundraising goal at $1.75 million, and $1 million of that is already identified through early commitments and funding sources, according to documents presented to the council last Tuesday.

Separately, the independent Friends of the Palmer Public Library has raised $210,000 through private gifts and community fundraising. “These funds will also contribute to the overall funding of the library construction project,” according to the memorandum.

“This initiative (for city-led fund-raising) responds to the strong community support for the project, as residents have expressed interest in making financial contributions toward the new facility. All funds raised through this campaign will be applied directly to the project’s construction costs,” according to an action memorandum presented to the council.

“In the interest of transparency and sound financial management, the (city) Finance Department will establish a separate, dedicated account to track and manage all campaign contributions,” city officials wrote in the action memorandum.

The city’s staff will continue to work with community partners and coordinate outreach efforts. Regular updates will be provided to the city council on fundraising progress and financial reporting.

The city will also recognize the contributions of individuals and entities who support the Palmer Public Library through a tiered recognition system. This system honors the dedication and commitment of our valued supporters and ensures that their efforts are acknowledged in meaningful ways.

The tiers are: Founder: $1,000,000 +; Pillar: $100,000-$999,999; Visionary: $50,000-$99,999; Champion: $10,000-$49,999; Advocate: $1,000-$9,999; Supporter: $250-$999

In other actions the council passed a resolution of support for the Palmer High School Japanese Language Program, which appeared at risk earlier this year due to budget pressures on the Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District. City council members, “brought this forward to confirm the City of Palmer’s desire and interest to see the program continue,” according to the action memorandum for the council supporting the action.

The language program has helped support a cultural-exchange program involving Palmer high school students visiting communities in Japan and hosted by local families. In reciprocation, Japanese students have visited Palmer, staying with families in the community.