Morrisson-Reeves Library continues to explore funding options to address critical facility issues and continue operations. It’s asking the public to join in a community forum from 6 to 8 p.m., Tuesday, Oct. 28 at The Reid Center, 1004 N. A St., Richmond.
The event will focus on addressing Wayne County Council’s request to provide a less-expensive alternative to a proposed nearly $26 million building project. Council tabled the library’s request for an $18.72 million, property tax-based bond to make the project possible.
A question-and-answer session will follow presentations from the library board of trustees and the project architect, according to a news release.
“We are determined to continue our work with the County Council to ensure that we find a solution to address the significant challenges,” said Jennifer Lewis, president of the board of trustees.
An examination of the library building at 80 N. Sixth St., Richmond, uncovered serious structural issues with the brick exterior, malfunctioning internal systems, safety concerns and Americans With Disabilities Act problems. The library conducted public-input sessions to determine how residents see using the library in the future. The result is the estimated $25,943,914.56 project to make necessary repairs and improvements and to reconfigure the library’s space.
The bond would implement a $0.1024 property tax rate to generate $1,724,000 annually that would service the bond debt. Property owners in Richmond, Spring Grove and Wayne Township already reaching the state’s 1% property tax cap would not pay more.
For 19 1/2 years, however, the $1.7 million paying each year’s debt service would come from the property tax pool shared by the library and overlapping tax districts. That would reduce property tax revenue for Wayne County, Wayne Township, Richmond, Spring Grove, Richmond Community Schools, Richmond Sanitary District and MRL. County council members consider that a significant problem; thus, the request for an alternative solution.
A version of this article appeared in the October 8 2025 print edition of the Western Wayne News.