Washington police, library seek Riverboat Foundation grants

The Washington City Council, Tuesday, gave the go-ahead for two organizations to apply for grants from the Washington County Riverboat Foundation.

The Washington Police Department is seeking grant money for SWAT team tactical and safety equipment upgrades, and the Washington Public Library is seeking funds to add a “library of things.”

“This is similar to the request we made a year ago before the grants were canceled,” Police Chief Jim Lester said, adding that he did not have an exact amount specified. “I expect it to be around $30,000.”

Library Director Bryna Walker said she would like to request $4,000 to add a “library of things” to the library’s offerings.

“A library of things is becoming more prevalent around the country,” Walker said. “We would like to do a library of things focusing on wellness.”

Walker explained that a library of things is a collection of items that patrons could check out and use.

“These would be things that appeal to families,” she said.

The items would fall into the library’s circulation policy, where patrons could check items out for a specified period of time, then return them to the library.

“We’re starting with wellness and fitness because we have so many parks,” Walker said. “It would benefit the youth of our community.”

In a memo to City Administrator Brent Hinson, Walker wrote that the collection would be an “asset to community youth and adults that would otherwise not have access to standard equipment such as football, volleyballs, soccer balls, tennis and pickleball equipment.”

Walker said she would also like to include lawn games like croquet and ladder ball.

“It is another thing the library can do to help bridge the poverty gap and increase recreational activities,” she said.