12-26-2025

In November we revealed the conceptual drawings for a new library. Since then, there have been no shouting from the rooftop updates. Rather than going quietly into the night and leave East Troy wondering what is happening, I’ll end 2025 with an overview of the Library Board’s next steps.

HGA delivered the conceptual drawings in November so that we could display them at the Friends of the ETLPL’s annual play fundraiser. However, they are still completing the final report, which from past experience I expect to be long and dense. The information will include the process used in determining our space needs and reasoning for those decisions.

The next big step for the library board is to hire a company to determine total operation expenses for the expanded space. We have an estimate from HGA for utilities only. That was an eye opener that has the board investigating solar panels and grant money to finance them. The additional costs of operating a new facility is a question we need to address for both the Village and the community.

Once that study is complete, we will go before the Village Board, present the projected Operational Budget, conceptual design, and financing plans followed by a request for support and land.

While that is in the works, we are investigating foundations and endowments.

The library board has received information from two established foundations that are options for setting up donation accounts. They need to be vetted and decided upon. Choosing one of them will save quite a bit of time between now and fundraising as a foundation requires its own board and bylaws, assistance from a lawyer and an accountant, and 501 c3 designation from the IRS.

Endowments, it turns out, are much easier. An endowment fund requires a policy that protects the principle from future boards and establishes guidelines for interest withdrawals and spending.

The final topic under consideration is naming rights and donor recognition. Naming rights is a form of recognition for a particularly large donation. That amount is yet to be determined. Levels for additional recognition will also be established. We have one example breakdown from a nearby library that listed levels by the cost of specific items/areas of the library. For example, one lower level listed is the sponsorship of a bookshelf.

Board Trustees and I all have homework to bring to the next meeting. Given the board only meets once a month, I would anticipate it will be March before we have major news to share on plans for the next step. In the meanwhile, the conceptual drawings are on display in the lower level to keep us all motivated.

Reading Now: Greening Death: Reclaiming Burial Practices and Restoring Our Tie to the Earth by Suzanne Kelly (Nothing like a light Christmas read.)

Listening to Now: The Revolutionary: Samuel Adams by Stacy Schiff (It’s only 14 hours, but I must say that I prefer the length/depth of a Ron Chernow biography.)