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Wilmore took another step toward having its own public library Monday.

Wilmore Mayor Harold Rainwater said the council members agreed on a memorandum of agreement to present to the board of the JEssamine County Public Library. Rainwater said he is scheduled to meet with the library board Nov. 12 to work through any details.

The plan calls for the library to occupy the lower level in Wilmore City Hall, which is the former Providence School. The lower level has its own entrances and exits, and can operate independently from the rest of city hall, he said.

“Conceptually, we agreed in principal to them being partners in the building,” Rainwater said.

The city closed on the former school this summer and has been moving all department of city government into the building.

If all goes well, there may be an agreement to approve at the Nov. 16 council meeting, he said.

If approved, the library would be the first public library in Wilmore.

In other action, the council members spent time in closed session reviewing multiple bids for the former city hall, the former parks and recreation offices on Rice Street and a former concrete plant on South Maple Street.

Rainwater said the city received five bids for the former city hall, and two each for the other properties.

“All three of those, we want to put on the market for economic development or economic stimulus,” he said. “We want to stimulate the flow of jobs through these. City Hall has some potential use as retail or a restaurant.”

After an extended closed session, Rainwater said the council members authorized him to contact the bidders, discuss their plans for the properties and negotiate if needed.

Rainwater said he hoped to return to the council in two weeks with one recommendation for each property.

All three properties have been declared surplus.