In late January, Great River Regional Library (GRRL) held a community meeting at the Clearwater Public Library. 

 

About 25 members of the public attended, where GRRL Director Karen Pundsack said the library’s strategic plan, which was written back in 2015,  focused on becoming a more community-focused library system. In the past, it was the main branch setting the agenda for the entire system.

 

During that meeting, participants     focused on five questions specific to the Clearwater community. All those in attendance were encouraged to give their opinions. 

 

The information from the discussion has just been released. Here is a summary.

 

 

• Location - I-94, Hwy. 10, access important to community;

 

• Grocery store, travel plaza, Clearwater Outfitting (kayak), river, five parks: Warner Lake, archery, disc golf, playgrounds, ice rinks;

 

• Essential services –  fire department, clinic, library, variety of stores – nearly everything;

 

• No school or brewery;

 

• Lakes, recreation, churches, small town feel changing;

 

• History – ferry landing;

 

• Rodeo;

 

 

• Avoiding traffic!

 

• Clearwater Days;

 

• Netflix, books;

 

• Fish fry;

 

• Legion activities;

 

• Fitness, yoga;

 

 

• Traffic!

 

• Meeting space;

 

• No community center with pickle ball;

 

• Transportation - inadequate public transportation; getting across town, segmented by I-94 & river;

 

• No easy access to city (no Northstar stop);

 

• No Head Start anymore;

 

• Only elementary school;

 

• No meals on wheels;

 

 

• Brand new library, community center & shuttle bus;

 

• Importance of services in attracting & retaining citizens;

 

• More hours, open, late, and consistent hours;

 

• Serving homebound residents – bring library to them (especially with no digital access);

 

• More audio books & eBook copies;

 

• More titles, shorter wait lists; 

 

• Computer help;

 

• OverDrive;

 

 

• Funding transparency to know where to focus advocacy efforts;

 

• Awareness of library – people don’t know it’s here;

 

• Promotion in community;

 

• Website links, more frequent newspaper promotion, social media, presence at Heritage Days, more signage (I-94, Coborn’s),  Appreciation Day at Nelson Brothers, churches, own bulletin board, campgrounds, more frequent community guide;

 

• Youth and senior centers needed in community;

 

• Reach new residents;

 

• Outreach to seasonal residents (lake homes, campgrounds);

 

• Online social media presence – Google;

 

• Add government websites;

 

• Get a local Chamber of Commerce.

 

Pundsack said all of the evening’s input would be sent to those in attendance and to local stakeholders, including state legislators, with the goal to improve services.