Fort Madison, IA – Renovations to the new Fort Madison public library will get underway in the very near future. The city council has awarded the construction contract to Burlington-based Bi-State Contracting. The project will carry a price tag of just over $1.8 million. Library board president, Elaine Eschman, says the winning bid came in about $200,000 below estimate. Other than the impact of Hurrican Katrina on material prices, Eschman says the project is moving ahead smoothly. Eschman says the contractor will move in equipment, over the next few days and get to work after that. She says teh renovations to the old Valley Medical Clinic are scheduled to be completed around July of next year.
At the same time, the library board is in the process of hiring a new library director. Eschman says 4 candidates will be interviewed this month and the board hopes to name a new director later this fall.