LCRA awards $5,000 grant to Palacios Library

New security features will improve safety for visitors, employees

Dec. 8, 2022

LCRA representatives present a $5,000 grant to the Palacios Library for new safety features at the library. The grant is part of LCRA’s Community Development Partnership Program. Pictured, from left to right, are: Kate Ramzinski, LCRA Regional Affairs representative; Melanie Dailey, library board member; Tammy McDonald, city treasurer; Annette Stonedale, Friends of the Library; Ana Zamora, assistant library director; Stephen F. Cooper, LCRA Board member; Vikijane Mosier, library director; Kay Lawson, library board member; Margaret D. “Meg” Voelter, LCRA Board member; Billie Burch, volunteer; and Lupe Gonzales, Cynthia Garrett and Tasha Sanchez, library board members.
PALACIOS, Texas – The Palacios Library will add new features to make the library safer for visitors and employees, thanks to a $5,000 grant from the Lower Colorado River Authority.

The Community Development Partnership Program grant will allow the library to replace its fire door, install a crash bar on the side door, and add a chime on its front door.

Library Director Vikijane Mosier said the new safety features will help employees keep tabs on who is in the library at any given time and help ensure employees and the many children who use the library after school and over the summer always feel safe.

“The children are here all summer,” she said. “Being in the library helps them beat the heat. They can come and read and learn and play games.”

Currently, the fire door at the back of the library is not operational, so the side door has to be unlocked while the library is open to provide a fire exit, which could allow someone to potentially enter the building without detection.

“It’s a small town, but you never know if something is going to happen,” Mosier said.

At the front door, the chime will notify those working in the library when the door is opened, which is especially important when only one staff member is present and may not be watching the entrance, Mosier said.

The community grant is one of 46 grants awarded recently through LCRA’s Community Development Partnership Program, which helps volunteer fire departments, local governments, emergency responders and nonprofit organizations fund capital improvement projects in LCRA’s wholesale electric, water and transmission service areas. The program is part of LCRA’s effort to give back to the communities it serves.

Applications for the next round of grants will be accepted in January. More information is available at lcra.org/cdpp.

About LCRA
The Lower Colorado River Authority serves customers and communities throughout Texas by managing the lower Colorado River; generating and transmitting electric power; providing a clean, reliable water supply; and offering outdoor adventures at more than 40 parks along the Colorado River from the Texas Hill Country to the Gulf Coast. LCRA and its employees are committed to fulfilling our mission to enhance the quality of life of the Texans we serve through water stewardship, energy and community service. LCRA was created by the Texas Legislature in 1934 and receives no state appropriations. For more information, visit lcra.org.

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