One week to raise $250,000 – If library can’t come up with the money by April 9, the fire hall will go to the highest bidder

The Orcas Island Library has less than a week to raise nearly $250,000 if it is to be able to purchase the old fire hall in Eastsound.

At last count, the library had received contributions or pledges totaling $130,000, according to Librarian Victoria Parker.

There are two ways to contribute to the fire hall fund: 1) direct contributions and 2) contingency pledges. Direct contributions should be made out to the Orcas Island Public Library Expansion Fund, P.O. Box 1496, Eastsound, WA 98245. Contingency pledges consist of formal written commitments that would be activated only if enough money is raised to buy the building. Contingency pledge forms are available at the library.

All the money must come from private sources, library board members say. No tax dollars will be used.

The library Board of Trustees will assess the likelihood of a fire hall purchase when it meets on the ferry from Orcas to Lopez Tuesday, April 9, at 9:15 a.m. Library board President Audrey Stupke and Parker will inform fire commissioners of thir assessment when commissioners meet that night at 7:30 p.m. at the new fire hall.

The library board’s discussion on the ferry will precede a joint meeting of the Lopez, Orcas and San Juan Island trustees at the Lopez library.

The Friends of the Orcas Island Library, meanwhile, has committed itself to help fund renovations of the old fire hall. President Leonard Wood said, “Our board of directors has committed to fund to the reasonable extent of our resources those necesary renovations to make the building suitable for library uses.”

Fire commissioners have agreed to give the library board an exclusive opportunity to purchase the old fire hall. But they set a deadline of April 9, after which time the building will go out to bid if the library is unable to come up with the money.

The old fire hall was assessed last year at $375,000, but fire commissioners have made no commitments to honor that price.

It is known that several private businesses are also interested in purchasing the building, among them Roses Bread & Specialties.

— Ted Grossman is editor of islandssounder.com and The Islands’ Sounder. He can be reached at (360) 376-4500 or email.

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