March 29, 2024

Dear citizens

From Brian Zachary

Creston

Please do not allow the city to sell the Lincoln School out from under the Library Board. It is a public building that the people paid for and belongs to us. It is not right to sell it to a private developer for a low amount, so that they can turn around and charge our citizens to use it again. Then the money goes off to Omaha.

The building was bought from the school district for the purpose of a new library. Then the city council asked the library to use it. The Library Board has been paying for the utilities at the Lincoln School. I would think this would be enough to seal their claim to it.

The Library Board has raised substantial money towards its renovation, and has initiated partnerships with The Learning Center and Creston Arts to provide expanded programming to go along with an appropriate sized library. The resulting community center will be beautiful and amazing and draw people from inside and outside Creston. The educational and cultural possibilities offered to the citizens of Creston will far outweigh any monetary gain from the school’s sale. The benefits of the library will be offered to thousands of families of all incomes, and the green space will remain for the public to use. In opposition to this, benefits of the proposed sale go to the occupants and the developer, a small number by comparison, with no public green space.

Thank you for your careful consideration of this matter. Please give your support to the Library Board. They are attempting to provide above adequate library services without a major tax burden.