By Naomi Hatch
“We toured the library-stake academy and saw the progress going on there,” said Snowflake Mayor Kelly Willis, noting that until the tour of the whole building, he’d forgotten how big it was and, “A big building takes big money.”
“It’s really going to be something once we get it finished,” said the mayor. He thanked Librarian Cathie McDowell for the tour, and for the work she and the Snowflake Academy Foundation have done on refurbish-ing the historic building.
During the Sept. 11 town council meeting, McDowell explained that there is a change needed in the Com-munity Development Block Grant resolution required to apply for the grant.
McDowell was unable to attend the meeting during the CDBG process in February when the council was asked to put those funds toward the academy building fire sprinkler system.
McDowell said this has been conditionally approved by Arizona Department of Health Services (ADHS), but additional work that will be done with this funding is the rehabilitation of the main interior stairway, and that needs to be added to the original resolution to permit the work to be done with CDBG funds.
McDowell explained that the stairs must be rehabilitated in order to give access to the main level of the building so it can be used, because without safe access ADHS would not approve use of that floor.
“Going back through the building, it’s just a great building,” said the mayor. “I just wish we could get that thing done somehow.”
McDowell estimated the bare minimum needed would be $1 million, and it would take $2 million to do everything they would like to make it a state of the art library.
“It’s quite a treasure for our town and we don’t realize it,” said McDowell, noting that it has been there for years and people become complacent about it. “This is one of the few academy buildings that still looks like it did and has potential to be fixed up.”
The council unanimously approved a motion to amend the resolution for application for fiscal year 2012 CDBG funds for the fire sprinkler system to include rehabilitation of the main stairway at the academy build
Photo by Naomi Hatch
Members of the Snowflake Town Council touring the Snowflake Academy building just prior to their meeting on Sept. 11 included (left to right) Mayor Kelly Willis, Vice Mayor Jason Whiting, Councilman Tom Poscharsky and Councilwoman Lorri Davis.
Photo by Naomi Hatch
Librarian and Snowflake Academy Foundation Coordinator Cathie McDowell (right) gave members of the Snowflake Town Council and staff a tour of the academy building prior to the Sept. 11 council meet-ing. She shows (left to right) Mayor Kelly Willis, Councilman Chris Brimhall and Town Attorney Bob Hall, all graduates of Snowflake High School, the original archway door, with the original glass that is part of the refurbishing done on the lower level. Also on that floor are computers that have a program to help people seeking work prepare their resumes. The computers are available on Mondays. For more information, contact the Snowflake Library.
