Palmer sets up temporary site for library, storing books and materials from damaged building

The city of Palmer is moving books and other materials from its damaged public library to be stored and made available in temporary rented space, Brad Hanson, Palmer’s development director, told the city council at its March 25 meeting.

About 3,700 square feet is being rented in the Lacher Building for the library’s most sought-after books while other parts of the collection will be be stored in 2,700 square feet of additional leased space, this in an industrial building,

Meanwhile is no timetable yet on when plans for rebuilding or replacing the original library, which was heavily damaged by a roof collapse caused by a heavy snow load, Hanson said. Insurance claims are still being worked out both for damage to the building and materials in the library that cannot be restored.

Many books in the children’s section of the old library were heavily damaged by water from sprinklers that were triggered by the collapse, Hanson told the coincil. The Lacher Building cannot accommodate the library’s total collection, which has about, 16,000 volumes, so only the most requested books are being stored there.

The March 25 meeting was low key and with a light agenda, with mostly routine approvals and updates. There was an executive session at the end of the public meeting, however, in which confidential matters were discussed. Subjects discussed in executive sessions cannot be revealed by the city.

There were also the two required audience participation parts of the meeting in which anyone in the public can voice an opinion. True to form, three local residents sounded off with complaints, as they do regularly, about the staff of city institutions, usually the Palmer museum and visitor’s center, having hidden socialist agendas.

A more pleasing event during the meeting was the swearing in of Palmer’s newest police officer, Virginia Calvert, with police chief Duane Shelton several of Calvert’s new police officer colleagues present.

On other public safety matters, city attorney Sarah Health told the council that she and city manager John Moosey are working with local businesses on plans for handling trespass and public nuisance problems during the summer visitor season.

This will include urging retail and other private property owners to be diligent about making complaints so that local public official and police can act.

Thew council approved two small community grants, each $1,500, to local nonprofits. One was to help establish a Palmer Family Park for families as also veterans.