by Dennis Dalman
editor@thenewsleaders.com
Two residents – Joe Perske and Sebastian Lau – spoke in favor of a Sartell branch library at the public forum portion of the Nov. 23 city-council meeting. (See related story.)
Perske, former Sartell mayor, told the council, as he has in the past, that the residents of Sartell have long wanted a library, that one has been a top priority on numerous city surveys for many years. Sartell, he said, is the largest city in Minnesota without a library.
“It’s time to move forward with a library,” he said. “We either decide we’re going to have a separate facility or we take another look at the community center and renegotiate a site with a library.”
Perske, a long-time library advocate, has spoken before the current council many times, urging them to proceed with a library for the city.
Sebastian Lau, 12, is a student at Sartell Middle School who said he cannot go to the St. Cloud Public Library unless somebody takes him there. Thus, he often has to wait for the books he wants to check out. He also made the point he much prefers to read actual books, not “virtual” books on Kindle, even though his parents offered to buy him a Kindle.
Sebastian said a city survey said 75 percent favor a youth library and 70 percent favor an adult library. He urged the council to create a library.
