Early 2016: Public Meetings were held in January and March, 2016. The first meeting was to ask for public input and the second meeting was to share the concept drawings of the interior and exterior of the building. More citizen input was given. The Charlotte County Commissioners have been updated on the cost and the county staff is looking for ways to adapt the new design to meet the budget.
August, 2016: Charlotte County hosted another Public Input Meeting in August, 2016. The attendees were given a chance to review interior colors and flooring. The information was also available on the County website. People could vote on their choices through a survey. One of the major concerns continues to be the exterior design of the new building. Under the current budget, the outside of the building has been referred to as looking like a box store. Discussions continue on funding and design.
Naming the library: The Friends appreciate the community support for our new and much needed library. Following the death of Board Member Mary Knowlton, the issue was raised by some in the community to name the new library after her. However, Mary’s family and the Friends Board know how much Mary wanted the new library to be named the “Punta Gorda Charlotte Library”. Due to that, we are recommending that the library be named the “Punta Gorda Charlotte Library” and be dedicated to Mary Knowlton’s memory.