The community of Mexia, Texas is coming together after the fire that ravaged Gibbs Memorial Library.
A special meeting was held October 3rd, 2019 to discuss how to move forward after the disaster.
The Library staff has been provided a temporary office space inside of City Hall.
A plan is being worked on for material currently out in circulation, and for receiving donated books.
There is a possible location being discussed for a temporary library, but nothing is definite at the time of press.
The contents and damages must be inventoried and filed with the City’s insurer.
A professional restoration company is being considered due to the magnitude of damage, and four remediation vendors have visited the library and are preparing quotes.
The items, including many of the city’s historical artifacts, located in the Genealogy Room have been removed and secured. Most items were only damaged by smoke and soot.
The fire at Gibbs Memorial Library in Mexia, Texas is being investigated as suspected arson.
Fire professionals found a high probability of arson during their investigation of the library. This investigation is still ongoing.
The work has been divided as follows:
–City Manager – Overall coordination of rehabilitation, primary liaison with insurer, and primary public information officer.
–Library Director – Responsible for approval of all planned rehabilitation efforts, responsible for keeping Library Board informed, oversight for stand-up of temporary facility, primary contact for fundraising and donations (in conjunction with Library Board.)
–Fire Chief/Fire Marshall – Responsible for overall conduct of the investigation into cause of fire and coordination with Texas State Fire Marshalls Agency.
–Chief of Police – Responsible for law enforcement actions and contact with Texas Rangers.
