Shawano County officials didn’t waste any time in making an offer to purchase a small apartment complex near the public library on South Sawyer Street in Shawano.
Within two weeks of the apartments at 205 E. Division St. being put up for sale, the county had an accepted offer, and the executive committee Sept. 16 approved the purchase contingent on county board approval.
The asking price of $975,000 was offered and accepted, Board Chairman Tom Kautza said at the executive committee meeting.
The costs were also discussed at the Sept. 14 library board meeting, and the board agreed to have the $500,000 donation from the Anita Hartman estate go toward the purchase.
“That money basically is supposed to be used for families and education and children,” Kautza said.
If and when it comes time, the board will consider naming rights for Hartman for a part of the library as a thank you for the donation.
Nichole Zuehl, finance director, said the remaining $475,000 will come from the county’s general fund.
Once borrowing for a new library occurs, the general fund will be replenished.
Zuehl said the county is still above the recommended reserve fund minimum requirements.
Venture Architects will now create tentative plans for a library footprint and building to show prospective donors. A local fundraising campaign is expected to last 24 months once it starts.
The future library is still in need of a small parking lot in the area that is owned by Associated Bank, which is across the street from apartments.
“They’re across the road,” Kautza said. “They’ve got a ton of their own parking and city parking to work with over there, so I don’t think that would be an issue.”
The plan is to continue to rent the apartments until razing them becomes necessary. Any income will be used to maintain the property and pay back the purchase price.
There are 12 units, and one is currently vacant. Rental income is about $7,800 a month or $100,000 a year.
Nick Hesse, facilities management director, expressed concerns with the purchase.
“I’m just going to announce right now I don’t have enough staff to take on, I’m mean, you’re buying 12 rental houses,” he said. “Every one of them has their own appliances, tubs, showers, their own furnaces.”
He said the building is in rough shape, which is why rent is about $600 a month.
“I don’t know how you expect me to keep it livable, that we aren’t running the county’s name down after we buy this but not stick a bunch a money into it that we’re going to tear down at some point,” Hesse said. “In my eyes, if you’re buying this thing to put a library on it, let’s move and get a library going. If you say you’re going to make money on something that’s going to cost you money, I don’t know where that’s going to lay out in the long run.”
Kautza said the project will take some time.
“You can’t build a library overnight,” he said.
“If it does go through, you’re going to have to amend my budget,” Hesse said. “I don’t have the budget for 12 rentals.”
“We’ll address that at the time,” Kautza said.
Taxes collected on the apartments in 2025 were $11,562.69. The property is currently owned by Valley Hometown Rentals LLC in Freedom.
If the library does not get built, the $500,000 Hartman donation will be returned to the library.
“That money is not going to get lost in the county general treasury,” Kautza said.
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