The future of a new Madisonville-Hopkins County Library is still uncertain as negotiations continue between the Library Board and the Library Foundation. The board’s working to renovate a building to move out of its current location in the Parkway Plaza Mall. Last week the foundation sent a letter to the board saying it would not co-sign a bank loan for $250,000 unless certain conditions were met. One of those conditions asks for finance committee chair Bill Smith to step down from his position. The board responded to the foundation’s letter with a counteroffer, taking out the provision on Smith. Library Foundation attorney Will Cox said they will consider the new offer. He said the project is being mismanaged and lacks transparency.
“To have grown from fifty thousand dollars worth of work to at this point about three hundred thousands dollars worth of work and possible another one hundred and twenty thousand to go," Cox said. "You know we’re curious as to how that happened under his management.”
According to Smith there has been little communication between the board and the foundation. He said he is willing to cooperate, but does not plan to step down.
“It was a very reasonable project from our perspective," Smith said. "I think anybody who knew anything about the project would have thought that it was a very thoughtful project and a very rational approach. But the political attacks are coming from people who don’t know anything about the project.”
Both parties said they want find a compromise and a new library for the community. But neither is certain at this time when that will be.
