Palmerton will apply for funding for a large restoration project for its downtown library.

Borough council on a 5-0 vote Thursday approved a resolution for a $1 million Statewide Local Share Assessment grant to be used for repairs to the Palmerton Area Library.

Councilman Kris Hoffner was absent.

Last month, council approved a resolution for the library for roughly $1 million from the Monroe County Local Share Gaming grant.

Also last month, Bowmanstown Borough Council approved a letter of support for the library for the grant.

Jack Wogenrich, treasurer for the library, told council in August that the library started a restoration project that would continue for about a month. He asked council members to support grant applications for the project.

Wogenrich said there is damage to the interior of the building that stems from the outside masonry and parapet of the building. He said the library has been putting a “band-aid” on the problem for the last 8 to 10 years, spending about $100,000.

Wogenrich said the small project will cost about $75,500.

Library director Christine DeSousa said after August’s council meeting that as part of that work, the parapet top stone will be removed and a water diversion system installed that will channel the rain water from dripping down the parapet wall, to the roof membrane and then to the drain.

Also, the stones on the outside of the building will be cleaned and restored, plus the silicone joint compound will be removed and replaced with a sand based grout that will breath and release water instead of sealing it in.

Wogenrich said the overall cost for the entire work is around $1 million.

DeSousa said the library will get the same work done across the whole building as it’s getting done now, then it will get the windows replaced on the addition; specifically the window on the south side of the building. From there, she said there will be painting, plaster and carpeting done.

DeSousa told council the library would do all of the legwork for filling out the applications.

Afterward, council in August made a pair of motions, both of which passed on 6-0 votes, with Councilman Kris Hoffner abstaining because his wife works for the library.

The first motion was for council to support the library for a Keystone grant partnership, which was followed by a motion for the borough to support the library for a Local Share Assessment grant partnership.

Councilwoman Holly Hausman-Sell said at that time that they may be competing for an LSA grant, since the borough is looking to obtain one for its police station, and that council wanted to ensure the library would have a good shot at obtaining it.