Detroit Lakes Public Library receives $42k for exterior repairs from city council

Detroit Lakes , MN (KDLM) – The Detroit Lakes Public Library is going to be receiving some renovations to its artisan exterior following approval from the Detroit Lakes city council on June 13.

Terry Kalil, chair of the Detroit Lakes Public Library endowment fund and president of the Lake Agassiz Regional Library Board, said, during a cleaning of the library this year, contractors noticed the friezes, a decorative design element in the building’s exterior, had flaking paint.

“We had the building cleaned this year as part of a cost sharing with the city and as part of that when they cleaned the friezes, the paint flaked off,” said Kalil, during the meeting. “And the paint, of course, is lead being that it was applied in 1912 and it’s never been painted since.”

She also said to repaint the friezes is going to require a special process to seal the lead-based paint, so they can be painted over. She said the frieze sealing and painting should cost about $42,000.

“(A contractor) did the work and … their conclusion was it was beyond their scope,” she said. “The friezes have to be treated specially to seal them before they can be painted, and they referred us to two painters.”

She also pointed out the Lake Agassiz Regional Library manages the staff and services for the building while the library’s endowment fund only pays for equipment, fixtures and repairs beyond normal maintenance of the building. Adding, the exterior painting should be considered a normal maintenance cost and covered by the city.

Members of the Detroit Lakes city council voted unanimously to approve the frieze sealing, painting and maintenance costs with the funds coming from the city’s permanent improvement fund.