By: Kyla Wetmore
Tennessee Secretary of State Tre Hargett recently presented a $200,000 construction grant to Collegedale’s Katie Lamb Public Library.
Mayor Morty Lloyd, Vice Mayor Tonya Sadler and Commissioner Laura Howse joined Hargett and the library’s namesake, former Mayor and Commissioner Katie Lamb for the Oct. 8 presentation, along with Library Board members Kevin Kibble, Stan Cotrell and Jennifer Mullins. Also in attendance were City CFO Michelle Toro, Interim Library Director Sarah Richardson and library staff members.
“It was a beautiful day to celebrate an important investment in our city’s future,” said Lloyd in a press release from the City of Collegedale.
Around mid-March, librarian Regina Mullins and the architect for the library’s construction project completed an application for construction funds with the Tennessee State Library and Archives at the then-city manager’s request, according to Howse.
The application emphasized $500,000 that the city budgeted for the 2025-2026 budget year for remodeling and renovating the library and the city’s investment in the community, according to Howse.
The competitive matching grant is designated for public libraries that are executing new construction, additions and extensive renovation projects, according to the Secretary of State’s website. The grant awards up to $200,000 or 50% of the project’s budget, whichever is less. Recipients must first spend an amount equal to the grant award, then submit invoices for reimbursement.
“I am the first to admit I was skeptical because these are typically only given to libraries that belong to the regional library system,” Howse stated in an email to the Accent.
According to Howse, all libraries in Hamilton County were previously excluded from the regional library system because they were part of the Hamilton County library system. The Collegedale library was part of this system until 2011, when funding from a sales tax agreement between the city and county ended, according to a Local 3 News article. Since this change, the Katie Lamb Public Library has been an independent City of Collegedale library funded by residents’ property taxes, according to its website.
In the grant application form, inclusion in the regional system is a requirement to qualify for the grant. However, Collegedale’s application had the strong support of State Senators Bo Watson and Todd Gardenhire, along with State Representatives Greg Vital and Esther Helton-Haynes, according to a press release from the City of Collegedale.
Howse stated that she reached out to the senators and representatives after submitting the application and shared that the library in Collegedale had not received money from the state in over 10 years. The library had received county funds when County Commissioner Jeff Eversole secured $30,000 over the last two years, though those funds came from the county general fund.
Howse was also able to meet with State Librarian and Archivist Jamie Ritter on June 13.
“I talked to him about our lovely library and explained that we would very much appreciate being allowed to receive this money,” Howse explained. “He shared that he was reviewing applications, and we should know something soon.”
After Howse contacted Hamilton County’s legislators, they scheduled a call with Hargett to discuss Collegedale’s application. On June 23, Howse received a call from State Senator Bo Watson with the news that the application had been approved.
“This grant is a clear example of how state and local governments can work together to reinvest tax dollars directly back into our community, strengthening education and our quality of life here in Collegedale,” said Vice-mayor Tonya Sadler in the press release.
