By Staff
Staff Reports, Hartselle Enquirer
Hartselle Public Library could soon be renamed for one of the city's most famous residents.
Andy Vest, a former Hartselle City Councilman, proposed the name change to honor author and Hartselle native William Bradford Huie because Vest said it is time for the city to publicly recognize the national figure.
Vest spoke to the members of the Friends of the Library and the Library Board Tuesday night in a public meeting at City Hall. Mayor Dwight Tankersley attended the meeting and urged the Library Board to make a decision on recommendation to the City Council, which will have the deciding vote in the matter.
The Library Board will meet Monday, July 24, at 5 p.m. at the library to vote on the recommendation. The meeting is open to the public.
The City Council is expected to vote on the recommendation Tuesday, July 25, at its regular meeting.
Hartselle residents attended Tuesday night's meeting and many spoke in favor of the name change, some even offering financial support for the effort. Friends of the Library members voiced concerns over the cost of renaming the library and one Library Board member asked Vest how the library would benefit from the name change.
Huie, who is buried in Hartselle City Cemetery, called Hartselle his home and wrote his first book, "Mud on the Stars," with Hartselle residents portrayed in the work. His collection of 23 works has sold more than 30 million copies worldwide.
Vest hopes to establish an archive of Huie's books, papers and documents and further promote the author by hosting literary festivals in Hartselle.
His widow, Martha Huie, lives in Memphis and supports the library name change proposal.