$500,000 Skagit County grant fully funds new library

La Conner has the funds to build a new library. The last $500,000 was approved by the Skagit County Board of Commissioners Monday, some 16 months after the state legislature appropriated the project’s first $500,000.

The grant, to the Town of La Conner, is for economic development: job training and job creation.

Commissioner Ron Wesen confirmed that in a Monday phone call, saying, “Community jobs in the future is what they are supposed to get done.” He referenced the many funding sources and the route to obtain them, including his participating in a February visit to the legislature organized by Mayor Ramon Hayes.

“What really helped with the library project, this was the last money. This was one of the things in going down to Olympia,” Wesen said, noting that legislators pressed him about Skagit County funding for the project.

Last week the Swinomish Indian Tribal Community’s Senate provided $750,000 on the provision all funding be obtained.

Wesen praised the Library Foundation’s funding model, which targeted several sources of major funds. He recalled he was asked to a summer 2018 meeting. “It was a good project with a lot of people working on it [with the attitude] we are going to make it happen,” he said, praising Hayes participation.

Susan Macek, director of the La Conner Library Foundation also praised Hayes: “Applying for this grant would not have been possible without the Town of La Conner as the sponsor, in essence, of this application for Skagit County Economic Development Public Facility Projects,” she wrote in an email Monday.

Hayes highlighted the shared effort. In a phone call Tuesday he said, “Some public projects do get not get done without many hands getting down in the dirt and working together. I am just grateful to the many volunteers, to everyone who donated money; that is still the largest source of contributions. Everyone did their part. When everyone does their part positive outcomes can be produced and this is an example.”

Commissioners approved 10 projects. The other two $500,000 awards were for fiber optic expansion in Concrete, Darrington and Hamilton. A total of $3.5 million dollars was awarded because of additional sales tax funds available.

The $3.74 million building funding pie has $1.22 million from state of Washington allocations in 2018 and 2019. Over $1.2 million is from local donations; $750,000 is from the Swinomish Tribe and the County’s $500,000 fills the circle.

The building will replace the Library Thrift Shop at 520 Morris Street. It will be named the La Conner-Swinomish Library.

Wesen noted that Anacortes, Concrete, Mount Vernon and Sedro Woolley all have library expansion projects planned or in process.

Rep. Dave Paul (D-Oak Harbor) wrote in an email “This is very exciting news, and this will benefit generations of La Conner residents. It is a testament of what can be accomplished when local, tribal, state, and community partners work together.” Norma Smith (R-Langley), his 10th District colleague, wrote “It’s been a joy collaborating with my House and Senate colleagues to provide the requested capital budget funding for the library, and I’m truly grateful for all the partners involved. What a tremendous resource this new library is going to be for students, families, and every member of the community.”

Monday was also Joy Neal’s 14-year anniversary as La Conner Library director.