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The push is on to get funding commitments for the Warsaw Community Public Library expansion project.
Work will begin this fall on the 42,000-square-foot facility. A bond issue will pay for 36,000 square feet - about $3.6 million - and the board hopes to raise about $450,000 to fund an additional 6,000 square feet.
Though the fund drive began several months ago, the board still is a long way from its goal. Only $57,960 has been received, and another $86,000 has been pledged.
Board member Candy Wolkins said at Monday's meeting that several people have approached her about donating money for certain items. "You may have some people who would prefer to give money for something specific ... than to dump it in a pot," she said.
But potential donors have expressed an interest in the children's wing and other areas in the part of the building funded by the bond issue; any money designated for these areas would have to be used there, not in the extra 6,000 square feet.
There may be a simple reason the money isn't coming in: "Is there any concern we don't need the 6,000 square feet, is that why we're not getting the funds?" Wolkins asked.
"The big people in town, they didn't respond - where are they?" asked Donna Lee. "We'd have had more (donations) than that if they thought it was a good thing."
Don Sweatland said he has been working with two big potential donors, including one who has verbally committed $100,000.
The board would like to have the $450,000 by Sept. 9.
"There is a sense of urgency," said Wolkins. "We can't go on with it if we don't have the money."
"We need to push the panic button on some of these people - maybe we need to push the panic button on the whole city," Lee said.
"I'm confident we're going to get the money," said Sweatland, "it's just that time is getting very short."
The building fund received a small boost Saturday at the Masonic Temple auction. After advertising and other expenses, the auction netted the library $22,683.43 - bringing the total given to about $80,600.
In other business:
• The bid to demolish the Masonic Temple and the house owned by the library was awarded to Dave Carey Excavating for $68,000. He will begin work as soon as asbestos is removed from the buildings, sometime in August.
• The board approved the construction documents presented by architect Joel Blum. Board members will review the plans for final comments and directions, then the plans will be ready to go out to bidders.
