“A library says a lot about a community. It will say Fannin County is proud of its past, its present and its future.”
These words, spoken by David Ralston, summed up huge steps announced Friday, April 22, that will bring a new stand-alone library for Fannin County closer to reality.
Ralston, District 7 representative and Speaker of the Georgia House of Representatives, announced $1.3 million in the state’s FY 2023 budget to build a library here. Combined with $1.3 million previously set aside, this brings the state’s total investment to $2.6 million.
Ralston’s funding announcement followed a land deal between Fannin County’s school board and board of commissioners that provide a location for the facility.
Members of the school board, Terry Bramlett, Chad Galloway, Lewis DeWeese and Mike Cole, voted unanimously to give the building and land currently serving as the school system’s main office to the county for construction of a stand-alone library.
Members of the board of commissioners, Jamie Hensley, Johnny Scearce and Glenn Patterson, then unanimously voted to accept the property.
The actions of both boards came at special called meetings Friday at the Performing Arts Center on the Fannin County High School campus.
Commission Chairman Jamie Hensley and school board Chairman Terry Bramlett echoed praise for the agreement and what it means for the county.
“This is a great day,” Bramlett said, talking about the cooperation between the two groups and the asset that cooperation will bring to the county’s citizens.
“It is an historic moment,” Hensley said, looking at the work put into making the agreement a reality.
The property transfer will take place later this year when the school system opens the new Staff Development Center and vacates the current building.
It is the construction of that Staff Development Center that opened the door for the library deal between the schools and the county.
A joint announcement from School Superintendent Dr. Michael Gwatney and Hensley pointed to the current central office being vacated because of the new facility.
That announcement continued, “We are thankful for the blessing of cooperation and thrilled to see this project move forward.”
Ralston concluded, “This is the kind of cooperation people expect to see in government,” as he praised the boards iinvolved.