Warren County Public Library’s reach continues to grow.

Already operating The Capitol Arts Center on East Main Avenue and a number of new satellite locations, the library on Thursday reached an agreement with Warren Fiscal Court to start leasing on Jan. 1 the SOKY Marketplace Pavilion and Taylor’s Chapel community kitchen and building.

The five-year, $1-per-year lease is a natural fit, WCPL Director Courtney Stevens told Warren Fiscal Court magistrates and Judge-Executive Doug Gorman during Thursday’s meeting in the county courthouse.

Using The Capitol Arts Center as an example, Stevens pointed out that the mission of libraries has evolved in recent years.

“Access to quality of life is a primary part of library services now,” she said. “We see this as similar to taking over the Capitol.”

Stevens pointed out that activity at The Capitol Arts Center has grown since the library began leasing it in 2021. Last year, she said, 39,370 people attended the 203 events held at the Capitol.

The library’s reach is growing countywide, Stevens said. She said more than 124,000 people attended programs across the library’s nine locations last year.

Those numbers can only grow with the addition of the SOKY Marketplace Pavilion, home to the SOKY Farmers Market and the seasonal SOKY Ice Rink.

“We’d really love to step in and provide some love to the SOKY Farmers Market,” Stevens said. “The pavilion was built to add to the quality of life in the community. You’ll continue to see that.”

Stevens presented a number of possible uses for the pavilion space, including movie nights, pickleball, and even a temporary site for a Kentucky Science Center exhibit.

Gorman is on board with the library’s plans.

“This is a great opportunity to further our partnership with the public library,” he said. “The SOKY Marketplace is a great asset we want to further utilize.”

The lease agreement “makes fiscal sense,” Gorman said.

“It’s really like an operating agreement for them (the library),” he said. “They will operate it and grow the events. They will work in conjunction with SKyPAC (Southern Kentucky Performing Arts Center) on events.”

Also approved at Thursday’s meeting was the county’s contribution to matching a Federal Aviation Administration grant being implemented by the Bowling Green-Warren County Regional Airport.

The county’s 2.5% match for the construction project to rehabilitate the airport terminal apron comes to $45,864.25.

With funding coming from both the FAA and the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the total project will cost nearly $2 million.

Other spending items approved Thursday include:

•$40,000 for backyard conservation, soil erosion control and dead animal removal program partnerships with the Warren County Conservation District.

•$19,376 to Conrad Flooring for resurfacing gymnasium courts at Phil Moore, Ephram White and Buchanon Parks and painting pickleball courts.

•$3,325 to Bowling Green Municipal Utilities for installation of a “dark fiber line” from Ephram White Park gym to the emergency management building at the park to ensure continuous internet access.

The next Warren Fiscal Court meeting is scheduled for Thursday, Sept. 26 at 9 a.m. in the county courthouse.