Politics & Government

Pelham Library Pushes for Roof Grant

Pelham Public Library officials are hopeful that a state grant will help them repair the library's roof.

Pelham Public Library officials are hopeful that a $53,000 grant from the state will help ignite their $107,000 roof repair effort.

The Westchester Library System approved the library’s grant application and sent the proposal to the New York Library Association earlier this week. If the Library Association agrees that the grant is suitable, the application will get forwarded to the state Dormitory Authority for a final review.

“The library applied for a state construction grant to replace our slate roof with new slate,” said John Lent, a member of the library’s board of directors. “The state typically makes grants up to 50 percent of the cost of the project.”

Town Councilman Dan McLaughlin, the town board’s liaison to the library, said the roof that sits on the library now is the same one that was built when the library was constructed nearly 80 years ago. Although the roof has been patched up in the past, it still leaks and is at the end of its useful life, according to McLaughlin.

Although the library has other structural needs, McLaughlin said the roof is the first priority.

“We think the roof project is more important than the others,” McLaughlin said. “There are certain things you need to do and certain things you wish you could do.”

Even if the library is awarded the grant, officials will still need to figure out where to get the 50 percent match.

Town Supervisor Joseph Solimine points out that the town only has a budget of about $3 million and that leaves about $60,000 in potential increases for next year’s budget due to the state 2 percent property tax cap.

McLaughlin is hopeful that the town can kick in a small percentage for the roof. He believes the library can get the rest of the money through fundraising.


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