The Huntsville Item;   May 15, 2005

By Kurt Allen/Assistant Managing Editor

You might catch Ron Kolb singing a little Gene Autry these days while he's working on the new home for the New Waverly Library. And it's a good bet he'll be humming "Back in the Saddle Again."

That's because Kolb, who was the library board's president for many years, has been re-elected to that post after a one-year hiatus.

Kolb was voted in during Saturday's annual meeting of the library board at the New Waverly City Hall. His election means he'll likely be the board's president when the new library building on Highway 75 South opens, Kolb hopes, late this year or early next year.

He replaces Earline Middleton, who takes over as immediate past president. But he inherits a board of people with whom he's largely familiar. His vice president is Hal Kooken, while former Huntsville librarian Judy Hunter is the board's new secretary. Mary Wojcik remains the treasurer. Debbie Halter, Frank Hoffman, Clara Malak and Sue Smith are the other board members.

Hoffman, a library science professor at Sam Houston State, is the lone new member on the board.

"They're all good people," Kolb said.

The former and once-again president has been the lead man in the construction effort for the library, which is currently located in City Hall. But the new facility, which will likely become a focal and social point for the city, has been under construction for some time.

Kolb estimates with about $50,000, he could have the work completed without having to depend solely on the help of volunteers. But even with a slowdown in the amount of financial support and construction assistance, Kolb still feels the building could open this year.

"We were hoping to be able to finish it and dedicate it by the time of the cookoff (in the fall), but things have slowed down. We're looking at the end of the year now," he said. "It all depends on the help."

Some help has already come his way. Larry and Pam Riggs, Billie Lee and Marlene Allen, members of various Master Gardener groups in the area, have offered their help in landscaping the area outside the building, assistance Kolb is happy to get.

"They are very much interested in getting this done correctly," he said. "They're looking for plants that require minimal maintenance."

Overall, though, Kolb is pleased with the progress, and said being re-elected as president is an honor.

"I feel OK about it," he said. "It's mean a lot to me over the years, and having stayed with (the project), I've stayed attuned to what's going on."

With the end in sight, Kolb has asked the board to conduct an internal audit of the library's fund-raising and expenditures. Since he handled much of the finances and work himself, he said he's eager to make sure all the numbers match up before the books go on the shelves and the community starts walking through the doors.