Worcester County officials on Tuesday denied a $70,000 request to add a children’s porch to the new Pocomoke Library, now under construction.
Jennifer Ranck, director of Worcester County Libraries, said she would speak with the construction company to see if there are ways to cut costs.
The $70,000 request represents less than 1% of the total $8.4 million cost of the new 12,500-square-foot library, being built by Keller Brothers Construction Co. Worcester County has financed $4 million of that total. Crews broke ground in January, and substantial completion is projected for April 2026.
By comparison, the most recent Worcester County library, in Berlin, was built for $7.1 million in 2018, a figure that included furnishings.
According to a memo submitted to county officials, “Plans for a ‘Children’s Porch’ were part of the original design but later removed to save overall costs.”
The porch would cost $109,895. To date, the Worcester County Library Foundation has raised $35,000 toward the project “and will continue to fundraise over the next six months.”
Library officials sought the county’s help “to ensure that the porch can be added now, while all the trades are on-site. This will be a more cost-effective approach than adding the porch to the building at a later date. Any additional funds raised by the Foundation will go towards the porch and offset the County’s contribution.”
The cost of a house?
Commissioner Joe Mitrecic balked at the cost per square foot, which he calculated at $266.
“They’re building houses for that,” he said.
Mitrecic said the Pocomoke branch deserves the same amenities as other county libraries, but “this number seems awfully high to me.”
Commissioner Chip Bertino said the Friends of the Ocean Pines Library funded their recent porch project in phases.
“Why can’t you go down the same path as Ocean Pines?” Bertino said, adding that the cost seemed high and that coming to the county with a request of this size “is a little bit out of line.”
Carol Rose, a longtime library supporter, said staff approached local businesses in Pocomoke, but were largely unsuccessful. While northern Worcester County towns such as Ocean City, Berlin and Ocean Pines are more affluent, southern areas like Snow Hill and Pocomoke tend to have smaller, lower-income communities.
Rose added that “we’re at the mercy of contractors that we did not choose,” noting that the county selected the builder.
‘Pocomoke has waited a long time’
No motion was made, so the project was not approved.
Ranck, reached after the meeting, said she would look for ways to lower costs.
“We want to build a special space that fits with the design of the building. Libraries are meant to be places that spark the imagination, and the children’s porch will be a place for us to offer special story times, music events, and art programs,” she said.
Ranck said the Pocomoke branch secured $4.27 million from the state through the Maryland State Library Agency – more than double what was received for the Berlin library.
“Pocomoke has waited a long time for a new library and we want to offer the same features and services found in our other library branches,” she said. “We have received some generous donations, but it can be challenging to raise funds in smaller communities.”
Donations will continue to be accepted through the Worcester County Library Foundation. For more information, visit worcesterlibrary.org/foundation.
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