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The City of
Calabasas has received a grant of $8,197,363 to construct a new
municipal library.
Meeting in Sacramento on October 28th,
the California Office of Library Construction Board considered
funding requests totaling $547 million from 66 jurisdictions across
the state. After reviewing written submissions and hearing
testimony from scores of local officials, the board voted to
allocate $108 million to help finance 16 library projects, including
that of Calabasas - only one of 13 applications to receive the
highest eligible rating of "outstanding".
The grant was made possible by the passage
of Proposition 14 in 2000. That initiative established a
funding source specifically earmarked for the construction and/or
renovation of public library facilities throughout the state.
Calabasas had been actively pursuing this particular grant for about
two years.
The Calabasas Public Library will be a major component of the new
Calabasas Civic Center. As with all monies awarded under the
provisions of Proposition 14, the grant given to Calabasas will
cover approximately two-thirds of the cost of building the facility.
It is expected that construction will begin next year.
"I am extremely pleased that Calabasas
was able to secure this significant level of funding," said
Calabasas Mayor James Bozajian. "This accomplishment will
allow us to construct a quality, state-of-the-art library to serve
our community."
Bozajian led a small delegation of
Calabasas officials, including
Ellen Pangarliotas, President of the Calabasas Library Commission
and Fred Gaines, Vice President of the Library Commission, to
Sacramento to offer testimony to the board when it met to consider
the allocations. After the hearing, Pangarliotas said,
"As
President of the City of Calabasas Library Commission and someone
who has championed the library from the inception of our city, I am
overjoyed that our City has received the library grant. The
length and breadth of support throughout the community was very
meaningful to all of us who worked so hard to make this happen."
Fred Gaines added, "Only one out of
five applicants received these funds. Our award is recognition
of the great library program that Calabasas has proposed. The
ball is now in the City's court to get it built."
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