CRESTON — A referendum will be on the June 28 election day ballot for residents in the Creston-Dement Library District to decide whether or not it gets a new library.

At a public meeting on Tuesday, a presentation was made on the years-long process of bringing a new library to Creston and the plans for a new building. Library Board President Doug Kroupa said the district has outgrown its current location at 107 S. Main St. and a new library would be built at the corner of Main and Cederholm Streets on land that was donated 10-12 years ago for a new library.

The total cost of the project is $2.6 million. At least $400,000 of that will be covered by grant dollars. The bond amount the district will ask for is $2.2 million. 

In 1992, the Creston-Dement Public Library District became a taxing body. It covers more than Creston, expanding into the surrounding area to the edge of Lee County and towards Hillcrest. About 950-1,000 people live in the library area, Kroupa said. 

With a 3.75 percent interest rate, which is the lowest and where the market is now, the property tax increase on a homeowner with a $100,000 home would be $72 on an annual basis. At 4.75 percent, the worst scenario for an interest rate, it's a $79 year property tax increase for a $100,000 home. 

"There's a lot of decisions we make that affect people's pocketbooks as we go along,” Kroupa said. “We are very keenly aware of that and the reason we took the steps that we did is to make sure the way we spend our money is the most financially-responsible way to do it. We've studied this thing and have made it something the town needs and something that will grow as the town grows. It's not a Taj Mahal in any way, shape or form. It's a rough, basic, functional, long-term investment for the town.”

If the referendum passes in June, construction would likely start in 2023. The library board has worked with an architect and has plans made up. The 7,200 square-foot library would be a high-durability building with a children's area, adult area, study rooms, facility for meetings, a staff area, bathrooms that could be used as storm shelters, storage space, a patio, handicap parking and a 30-spot parking lot.  

“There will be a lot of opportunities for learning and activity to make the town grow,” Kroupa said. “If we ever needed an expansion of it, that's planned in.”

In 1986, a group of volunteers in Creston started the library with book trucks and the library didn’t have a permanent location before it began renting its current location from Headon’s Fine Meats. The library grew and expanded into the space next door as well.

Kroupa said that until 2009, the library had 60-90 patrons come in monthly and operated 15-20 hours a week.  

In 2010, changes were made and the library is now open over 40 hours a week and has seen 500 patrons a month at different times. Computers and resources have been added such as 3-D printing and model rocketry. 

“We're packed to the gills,” Kroupa said. “A larger facility is needed for the patrons. Those strategic business plans we made for a library focused on the needs of the community so we could grow with the community and have a facility in town that met the needs of the school, seniors, young people without a place to go and anyone who needs additional information. It's been a very active community. This is a very crowded environment we’re in now.”

Hurdles in Kroupa’s 12 years as board president working on the project included surveys and getting the land cleared for the project. Fundraising activities were done and over $25,000 has been raised in donations since announcing plans for building the library. 

Donations can be made to the project by mail, in-person at the current library or online at crestonlib.org.