O’Kelly Memorial Library Capital Outlay Project: FAQ
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Willie D. O’Kelly Dubois
Willie D. O'Kelly Dubois dedicated her life to the well-being of families and children, displaying a deep commitment to education during her extensive teaching career and through many literacy endeavors. Her enduring passion for learning and her love for her community, Loganville, were exemplified in her collaboration with Regional Library Director Steve Schaefer to establish the O'Kelly Memorial Library in the late 1980s. Having worked closely with Mrs. O’Kelly on the library plans, Mr. Schaefer fondly recalls that her motivation stemmed from her desire to provide the children in her hometown with a local library, ensuring that they and future generations would
always have continued access to valuable resources and services.
Read more about Mrs. Willie D. O'Kelly Dubois' remarkable life.
Read about the O’Kelly Memorial Library’s dedication ceremony on June 3, 1990: Walton Tribune, June 1990.
As we make plans to build a new library and move to a safer, more accessible location, we often reflect on Mrs. O'Kelly's legacy and her unwavering dedication to Loganville's children. The forthcoming library project is poised to create a safe space for the local youth, featuring a dedicated children's area and maker space, and use
of City greenspace to foster learning, exploration, and play. Establishing the O'Kelly Memorial Library as an integral component of the cherished city she held dear is a tribute of great significance. It is with great pride that we embark on this endeavor to further honor her memory and commitment to literacy, life-long learning, and public service.
Why does the City of Loganville need a new library?
Established in 1989, the O'Kelly Memorial Library stands as one of Walton County's busiest libraries, providing essential services to the expanding and rapidly increasing population of Loganville and Walton County. The library presently grapples with the challenge of meeting the many needs of its patrons within the confines of a limited 7,162 square feet of usable space. Furthermore, the library faces a looming threat in the form of an impending roadway expansion project by the Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT). This expansion project not only encroaches upon the library's current footprint and jeopardizes its future growth potential and accessibility, but also eliminates existing parking and green space.
Will the O’Kelly Memorial Library be renamed?
The library will always be named the O’Kelly Memorial Library in honor of Mrs. Willie D. O’Kelly Dubois. There have never been plans to change the name of the library.
Who owns the O’Kelly Memorial Library?
The City of Loganville currently holds ownership of the library land and the existing library facility located at 363 Conyers Rd. In the future, the City of Loganville will continue to maintain ownership, both of the new library building and the library land at its future location in downtown Loganville. The designated site for the new library will be the western segment of the property owned by the City of Loganville on Main Street, situated at the intersection of Main Street, Covington Street, and Lucy Streets. The new site was approved at the July 20, 2023 City Council meeting. Minutes can be found here: https://loganville-ga.municodemeetings.com/
What happens to the current library once the new library is built?
The City of Loganville owns the property and they will decide what happens to their building and land. It could be repurposed or sold.
Why can’t the current library be relocated to the current City Hall building (former school)?
The library cannot be relocated to the current Loganville City Hall building due to Public Library Capital Construction Program regulations. To qualify for the $3 million state grant, adherence to these Capital Outlay requirements must be followed. Municipal facilities, such as city halls or courthouses, cannot incorporate a library if they utilize the grant.
Policies for Public Library Capital Construction Program/Georgia Public Library Service:
Branch Library – A branch library is open 30 or more regularly scheduled hours weekly. It has a paid library staff with an organized collection of library materials accessible through an on-site catalog. A branch library is in separate quarters from other governmental agencies with defined space used solely for library purposes, with a minimum of 1,000 gross square feet. A telephone must be on-site and not shared. A branch library must have a separate line for computer use and a computer dedicated to patron use. Branch libraries do not include administrative office buildings, service outlets, bookmobiles, separate meeting or classroom buildings, processing centers or warehouses.
Furthermore, opting out of the $3 million Capital Outlay grant to relocate and renovate would necessitate full project funding from taxpayers. Renovating the current city hall, housed in an old school, would entail substantial costs. Additionally, the facility must fulfill state grant prerequisites by maintaining library status for a minimum of 20 years, a commitment that cannot be guaranteed given traffic and city growth. Consequently, it is financially prudent to construct a new library at a different location, making use of the $3 million state grant, $1.2 million in County impact funds, and $1.5 million in federal ARPA funds allocated by the City of Loganville.
Why can’t the old library be renovated and expanded?
Presently, the O'Kelly Memorial Library is situated at the increasingly congested junction of Hwy 78 & Hwy 20. It’s fiscally responsible for the City of Loganville to build a new library in a new location because:
A traffic solution planned by Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) at Hwy 78 & Hwy 20 will make it impossible for patrons to exit the parking lot by turning left, worsening existing accessibility issues.
The traffic solution project will encroach upon front parking spaces and limit greenspace.
Physical expansion constraints include wetlands at the rear, a City sub pump on the right side, and private property on the left, making outward expansion unfeasible.
The library, over 30 years old, requires substantial repairs and modernization. Despite diligent maintenance, a heavily utilized public building experiencing thousands of patrons through its doors over 3 decades, inevitably reaches a point where renovation or new construction is necessary.
Accessibility challenges and lack of greenspace for outdoor programming persist even if the site could be renovated or expanded.
In order to qualify for a $2-$3 million dollar Capital Outlay Grant, a library must be sustainable in the same location for 20 years. In order to qualify for a Major Renovation and Repair (MRR) grant, a library must be sustainable in the same location for 5 or more years. The State of Georgia deems the current building and property unsuitable for an expansion or renovation due to the GDOT project and land challenges, making additional state funding (MRR or Capital Outlay Grants) unattainable. Building a new library in a new location is the fiscally responsible choice and meets State of Georgia requirements.
Essentially, if the City of Loganville decided to forgo the $3 million state grant to undertake such a project independently, it would impose an indeterminate financial burden on taxpayers. The cost associated with such a project would encompass the costs of renovation, compliance with ADA and building codes, expansion to meet the demands of a population exceeding 14,000, and the acquisition of additional private land to provide requisite parking and retention for an enlarged facility. It is also not yet determined if the current facility could structurally sustain a second floor.
Does land for the current library revert back to the donor families when the current library relocates?
The majority of the library’s current footprint was donated by Mrs. O’Kelly Dubois. This parcel was deeded to the City of Loganville and therefore is owned by the City of Loganville. Mrs. Willie D. O'Kelly Dubois (Grantor) gifted, through a Deed of Gift, a tract of land to the City of Loganville (Grantee) in June 1986. The June 1986 Deed of Gift had Willie D. O'Kelly Dubois' name spelled incorrectly (O'Kelley v. O'Kelly). Therefore, a Corrective Deed of Gift was executed in October 1987 to correct the misspelled surname. There are no provisions on these deeds (original or corrected) that the land will revert back to the family if it is no longer utilized for a library.
There is also a Deed of Gift (June 1997) for 0.471 acres from the Reynolds Oil Company., Inc to the City of Loganville. On this deed it states "in the event the property should no longer be used or needed for the operation and maintenance of a public library, the title to this property shall revert to the Grantor, its successors, and assigns."
Where did the money to build a new O’Kelly Memorial Library come from? (Is it tax dollars?)
In May 2023, the General Assembly awarded AZRLS a $3 million dollar Capital Outlay Grant to help fund a new facility. The Walton County Board of Commissioners allocated an additional $1.2 million in impact fees toward the project, and the City of Loganville allocated $1.5 million in federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds and land on Main Street in downtown Loganville for the new library. The Friends of the O’Kelly Memorial Library are actively working to secure an additional $2 million in funding, aiming to maximize the available resources for the initial construction phase.
Will City taxes increase to pay for the new library?
No, City taxes will not increase to pay for the City’s new library. City taxes will remain unaffected by the construction of the new library. The City of Loganville is, in fact, benefiting financially from this project. A state grant of $3 million has been secured, and the current appraised value of the City-owned land where the library currently stands is $1.4 million (as of two years ago).
See Appraisal Report here: City of Loganville_Land Loganvile GA Appraisal Report.pdf
The construction will be funded with $1.5 million from federal ARPA funds, and the new library will be situated on City-owned land. Additionally, the County has pledged a contribution of $1 million (impact fees) to support the project. In essence, the City of Loganville will obtain a modern, larger hometown library at a cost of $1.5 million in ARPA funds, while relocating it from one piece of City-owned land to another. This move will enhance efficiency and result in substantial savings on maintenance and repairs for years to come, benefiting both the City and its taxpayers.
What size will the new library be?
Phase 1: 10,000-15,000 square feet (size dependent on funding)
Phase 2: 10,000 + square feet
Total: 25,000 square feet
The construction of the new library will be constructed in two distinct phases, and is based on what the library budget can allow. Construction costs continue to rise and that will have a direct impact on available funds. Phase one is anticipated to encompass a range of 10,000 to 15,000 square feet, effectively doubling the current library's size. This expansion will facilitate the establishment of a dedicated children's area and the creation of additional meeting spaces. Furthermore, there will be a collaborative greenspace shared between the City of Loganville and the library, enabling outdoor programming opportunities. The library and the City will also share parking. Subsequently, phase two will supplement this development with an additional 10,000 square feet. A comprehensive feasibility study conducted in 2021 underscores the necessity for a 24,900 square foot library facility.
View the Complete Report: O’Kelly Memorial Library 2021 Feasibility Study
Who pays for necessary infrastructure for construction?
The library is committed to covering the expenses related to the essential infrastructure requirements associated with the construction of a new library building. The library understands the need to share the financial burden for infrastructure elements that will bring mutual benefit to both parties involved (City of Loganville and Library). These shared costs will mainly pertain to parking facilities and water retention systems, ensuring the efficient and sustainable operation of the library and future expansion efforts in the City of Loganville.
Who maintains the library?
The O'Kelly Memorial Library is under the ownership of the City of Loganville, and the City is responsible for building maintenance. Additional facility support is allocated through the Azalea Regional Library System office via a dedicated budget and overseen by the regional facilities manager. Additionally, the library benefits from state funding, specifically MRR grants, which assist in defraying expenses associated with major/minor building repairs and renovations. Thus, maintenance is a collaborative effort between the City of Loganville and the library.
How much have the FOL collected in their fundraising campaign?
In the case of the Friends of the O'Kelly Memorial Library, this group of dedicated and loyal volunteers operate as a 501(c)(3) fundraising entity independent from the library itself. It's important to note that their financial resources are entirely separate from the library's, with the library having no access to their financial records or bank accounts.
The Friends of the O’Kelly Memorial Library are deeply committed to the welfare of the community and are dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for its residents, particularly the local children, by helping to establish a modern and upgraded facility. Mrs. O'Kelly held a special concern for the education of Loganville's children, and this group is actively working to honor her vision.
Is the City of Loganville involved in the library project?
Indeed, the City of Loganville plays a pivotal role as a significant stakeholder in the library project. Their involvement is crucial to its success. The City Manager serves as an active member of the Construction Committee and will play a key role in overseeing the construction process, offering guidance to builders and architects, and providing valuable insights. The library and the City of Loganville are currently working on an Intergovernmental Agreement (IGA) to outline the shared parking and use of City owned greenspace.
Where does the library building project currently stand?
The State of Georgia released the $3 million Capital Outlay Grant to the Azalea Regional Library System on July 1, 2023 for the O’Kelly Memorial Library Project.
The City Council of Loganville voted on July 20, 2023 to allocate land for the new library in downtown Loganville. The designated site for the new library will be the western segment of the property owned by the City of Loganville on Main Street, situated at the intersection of Main Street, Covington Street, and Lucy Streets. The new site was approved at the July 20, 2023 City Council meeting. Minutes can be found here: https://loganville-ga.municodemeetings.com/
The City of Loganville and Azalea Regional Library System began working on an Intergovernmental Agreement (IGA).
The Request for Proposals for an Architectural firm to design the new O’Kelly Memorial Library was issued on August 1, 2023. View Request for Proposals for Architectural Services
Interested Architects attended a mandatory site visit on August 17, 2023.
Architect Interviews were conducted September 21, 2023 (3 firms interviewed).
McMillian, Pazdan, Smith was chosen as the design firm and negotiations are taking place in October.
Need more information or have additional questions?
Contact the Azalea Regional Library System at (706) 342-4974, or send an email to hr@azalealibraries.org.
