If you’re eagerly awaiting the opening of Senoia’s new library, keep on waiting.

Last week’s meeting between Senoia and Coweta County did little to firm up a construction date for the city’s new library that was slated to open at the end of this year.

Instead, Senoia’s leaders went to the meeting hoping to get some answers from state library officials who chose not to attend the meeting.

“It’s an extremely frustrating situation for us,” said Senoia city administrator Richard Ferry.

Ferry also learned the library, which is slated to be built with county workers, was also not in the county’s construction list for future projects. The city did manage to finally get on the list, but Ferry said the recent delay could allow the city to reapply for a grant from the state and bid the project out instead of relying on county workers.

Last week’s meeting was only the latest chapter in the city’s effort to build a library. In February, 2006, the Senoia City Council decided to place the building in the city’s Seavy Street park. The other option, supported by City Councilman Larry Owens, would have placed the library downtown next to City Hall.

Mayor Robert Belisle said the park offered more parking opportunities and a bigger area to expand the library in the next few years.

But early this May, the city learned indirectly that state officials did not like the location of the building because of its proximity to railroad tracks and overhead power lines. Previously, the town had applied for a grant from the state for the building, but thought it had been turned down. In late May, the city learned the grant had been approved, but in June it did not receive funding in the state budget.

With the General assembly getting ready to meet again in January, Ferry said the City Council will pick two other sites at Monday night’s meeting, and see if the grant funded.

“This may be the quickest way to get this project moving,” he said.

login to post comments