Jackson city leaders were still weighing options last week on how to address problems with the Eudora Welty and Charles Tisdale libraries.
Welty was expected to reopen this week after temporarily being closed by the state fire marshal.
The Tisdale branch was shuttered in the spring because of black mold and water damage.
City officials have not determined if the Tisdale building should be restored or whether a new building should be purchased or leased.
Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba said a decision likely will be made after the insurance claim is settled.
Jackson has a $700,000 policy with Travelers Insurance. A claim on damages was filed in late summer.
“We’ll see what the payoff will be,” he said.
The city also hadn’t decided if they will pursue legal actions against the firm that installed a roof on Welty between 2013 and 2014.
“We have not made a decision to date on actions moving forward. However we will look at all possible remedies so that we can continue to provide safe and exceptional services for the citizens of Jackson,” said Communications Manager Kai Williams.
As for Welty, the first floor has been reopened to the public. However, patrons no longer have access to the second floor, because of black mold, according to state officials.
Lumumba said Jackson hadn’t decided as of last week if a new library needed to be built if the current facility should be restored.
“That’s one of the options on the table. At this time, we haven’t weighed the pros and cons,” he said. “We’re still looking to see which way to go. Downtown deserves a library.”
State Fire Marshal Mike Chaney closed the branch on October 5, citing numerous safety violations.
Prior to the closure, library officials were planning to abandon the library’s administrative offices, located on the branch’s second floor, also due to black mold. At the time, the second floor was still deemed safe for public use. However, tests last week revealed black mold in the building had spread.
Among other concerns, the branch has no fire sprinklers on the second floor, the fire escape had been closed off, and its elevator has no phone system to allow users to alert library officials if problems arise.
The elevator will be closed to the public until it is fixed the library is also having to bring on two firefighters to work at the branch during working hours.
