Finally! Johnsonville library on its way

JOHNSONVILLE—Work has begun on the site for the new Johnsonville Public Library to be located on the east side of Highway 41-51 across from the High School Building.

Florence County Administrator Richard Starks said in a phone conversation last Tuesday that the contractor has one year to finish the building and hopes that the project will be completed long before then.

Cheryle Smith, Branch Manager for the Johnsonville Library, said she is excited for the day the new facility will be available to the public.
“They’re finally beginning to move the dirt and I’m counting down the days,” she said when construction began. “363 more to go!”

A groundbreaking ceremony was held on Friday, April 24 and it was expected that work would begin shortly thereafter. However, problems arose concerning the soil and the ability for it to support the building in the event of a natural disaster, such as an earthquake.

This necessitated removal of a quantity of dirt to be replaced with filler dirt of better quality, hence the delay. The need for this extra work and the approximate charges caused the contractor to come up with an additional overall cost to the county as well.

“The original site work change order under consideration was for $208,711, but that price has been reduced by $88,692, bringing the total site work change order costs down to $120,018.” Starks said. “The total project construction cost is now estimated at $1,176,856.”

The administrator attributed the lowering of costs to several factors, including the manner in which the soil needed was moved to the site and the finding of a suitable disposal site for the old dirt, an area on the grounds of Johnsonville High School that had been needing attention. 

“Florence County and School District Five worked together to use the spoil dirt nearby on a high school grounds improvement project,” Starks said. “ Using the spoil dirt in the project to cover the ditch that is being tiled by the State significantly reduced hauling costs.”

Smith said the benefits of the new library will be tremendous, including a much needed increase in space. A new meeting room, more books and computers, as well as a children’s area separate from the main reading room. Another perk will be the addition of a staff room, which will come in handy in accommodating the new employees the branch is expected to hire.

“We hope to have at least five [staff members],” she said. “And hopefully if they are not full-time they will be full time/part time.”

While Smith is unsure she will be kept in her current position, the longtime manager expects to be working at the new library in one capacity or another when it opens.