MAGNOLIA SPRINGS, Ala. — The Magnolia Springs Public Library became a source of debate during Tuesday’s Magnolia Springs Town Council meeting.

During that meeting, Bill Given of the Library Board, asked the town to take over ownership of the facility, which is currently owned by an incorporation but receives funding from the town and grants. Given explained that if that were to happen, the corporation would be dissolved.

Council members had several questions about the issue, including the timing of the request, which was made in the form of a resolution for the Council to consider.

“Why now?” Councilman Ben Dykema asked.

Librarian Alida Given explained that the Library Board had come to the Council a year ago with its desire for the town to take it over this October. However, at that time only Mayor Ken Underwood and Bob Holk were serving.

Holk added that the timing was actually right.

“This is a good thing,” he said. “We’re all working on our budgets.”

Other questions posed included how such a transition would work.

“I’m not concerned about the financial aspect,” Holk said, explaining that his concern was the logistics of such a transition.

Those questions were reiterated by resident Donna Eslinger.

“I’m not hearing a lot of good information,” she said.

Eslinger also pointed out that if the town assumes responsibility of the library, it will no longer be eligible to receive a $6,000 Snook Grant.

However, upon Eslinger’s advice to the Council to research those questions, Library Board member Francis Cleverdon voiced opposition by saying the library is the one good thing done just for the people of the town and shouldn’t be closed.

But fellow Library Board member Lolly Turner said the intent was merely to get a conversation going.

“We felt like we had to put something in front of the mayor and Council,” she said.

Turner added that when the Magnolia Springs Library was founded, then mayor Charlie Houser expressed intent that the town eventually take it over.

In his presentation, Bill Given said the Library’s action would influence how the Board would proceed in the coming year.

The Council decided to form an ad hoc committee consisting of Underwood, Dykema and Alida Given to research the issue.

“We know that it works,” Underwood said. “We just need to know how it would work if the town took it over.”