The Andalusia City Council moved to preserve yet another piece of the city’s history Tuesday when it authorized Mayor Earl Johnson to proceed with the purchase of the old Coca-Cola plant building at the intersection of Church Street and Baisden Street.

Johnson said that it is his hope that the city can clean up the property and resell it.

“This is another piece of property that is available to us at a reasonable price,” he said. “We can clean the property up for less than a private enterprise because we have the equipment to do so. Our plan is to get everything salvageable out and put it on the market.”

He said he already has had conversations with potential owner or tenants for the building.

“This building has been empty for close to 20 years, and it would be great to get a business in there again,” he said.

The council’s agreed-upon offer was not disclosed, pending closing of the real estate deal.

Nearly every day, faces fill each of the 20-plus computer terminals at the Andalusia Public Library – proving that more people are using the library than ever before.

But those numbers don’t show how much of an impact a library can have on a community, said Karin Taylor, APL director.

A state mandated year-end report on circulation numbers showed that 34,652 visited the library and checked out 65,532 editions of print materials in 2012. That’s an increase of 2 percent from the 33,979 patrons and 65,420 checked out print editions in 2011.

The biggest jump came in Internet usage, Taylor said. Statistics show that in 2011, 21,793 people signed the computer log sheets. In 2012, that number jumped to 22,043.

“Many people believe that circulation statistics are the most important way to determine how well a library benefits a community,” Taylor said. “This is not true. Numbers don’t tell the story of how one group of illiterate adults come into our library every week to check out children’s books because they desperately want to learn to read. They don’t show how many people come in and apply for jobs or social services through the internet and have had their lives changed.

“Numbers don’t show and can’t predict how our StoryTime may, just may, change one child’s life because it showed that child that learning can be fun,” she said. “So yes, around this time of the year, librarians around the U.S. compile statistics; however, the true test of a library’s importance are not in the figures, but on how the library touches people’s lives…and that can’t be quantified.”

And the services a library provides is constantly evolving, Taylor said. The library will soon offer electronic books and is pursuing two grants – one that would establish a middle school book club and another to digitize the APL’s genealogical and historical information.

“As long as people are reading, it doesn’t matter how they’re reading it,” she said. “And we are constantly changing how we provide the material and the material provide.”

Taylor said an example would be purchasing graphic novels for teens.

A graphic novel is a narrative work in which the story is conveyed to the reader using sequential art, either in an experimental design or in a traditional comics format.

“The library is a place of wonder – it doesn’t matter if you’re reading a book or surfing the web,” she said. “You can always find what you’re looking for here.”

Speaking from the podium at Duke Smith’s funeral Saturday in the standing-room-only Kiwanis Center, Mayor Earl Johnson announced that the city council had agreed to name the picnic pavilion planned adjacent to the new Miracle League field for the 16-year city employee.

The city council unanimously agreed to make that official Tuesday night.

Smith, 53, died suddenly of a heart attack on Dec. 30.

His family requested that memorial contributions be made to the county’s new Miracle League, which makes it possible for physically challenged students to play baseball.

Checks should be made to Andalusia Rotary Club Foundation/Project Miracle and mailed to Miracle League of Covington County, P.O. Box 1971, Andalusia, AL 36420.

Smith, 53, who passed away suddenly Sunday from a heart attack, worked for more than 16 years for the City of Andalusia’s department of leisure services. Hired by Dwight Mikel, the former director of leisure services in 1996, Smith served as the adult sports coordinator and the manager of the city’s sports complex. He would rise to become the assistant superintendent of parks and recreation.

It was a position he was well suited for, and one that he will be remembered the most for, Mikel said, as he described Smith’s “unbelievable” people skills.

“Any organization is made up of assets,” Mike said. “They can be physical or financial, but successful organizations are made up of personal assets. That was just one of Duke‘s strengths. He had all of the tools that he needed to successfully do his job — the knowledge and his skills. Probably the thing that carried him to the level and beyond was his people skills.”

Remembered most for his ever-present smile and jovial manner, Smith is also remembered for being fair, Mikel said.

“I think that’s one of the reasons that he was such a people person, even when he did have to so-to-speak, ‘drop the hammer,’” he said. “People knew he was dropping the hammer even-handedly for everybody, regardless of what the situation was. I don’t know if anybody got or stayed mad at him for any type of action.

“I think he will be remembered as a real fair person and a person who was really ready to help anybody and everybody,” he said.

Smith grew up in Andalusia and played sports as a youth and as an adult in the softball league. In fact, he even had a stint in a semi-pro baseball league.

Some 20 years ago, Smith coached the 14-to-15-year-old Babe Ruth League Dodgers baseball team – bringing them up from the minor league to Babe Ruth, and they later finished second.

The experience left an impression on former Dodger player and good friend Hunter Hobson, who said Smith was an inspiration not only to him, but also to so many others.

“He used to play baseball himself,” Hobson said. “He was a leader and someone I looked up to, and also a good friend. I was very devastated to hear the news.”

Nico Johnson, who now plays linebacker for the University of Alabama, also credits Smith for impacting his life. Johnson, who is Smith’s nephew, said on Facebook that Smith gave him his first job and always gave him a kind word when he was down.

Others shared their thoughts on the popular social networking site, giving their regards and wishing Smith a peaceful rest.

“This morning (Sunday) the Lord called home my wonderful cousin, Mr. Duke! He was an amazing cousin to me and always had something positive to say. I can see him now in Heaven making sure everything is right in God’s ballpark! I will miss you, but I will see you again one day, and it won’t be long. I love you, Mr. Duke… RIP,” Darious Davis wrote.

Mikel said a lot of the help Smith gave was never seen.

“There are a lot of things that went on that people don’t know about Duke,” he said. “He did a lot of things behind-the-scenes, whether it was through organizations or whether it was personal. He was one-of-a-kind.”

Smith was also the brain behind coordinating the annual Halloween on the Square, a favorite among area children.

“Halloween on the Square was his baby,” Mikel said.

Many agreed Smith’s attention to detail was second-to-none.

The City of Andalusia has played host to two World Series since Smith was hired, and he was helping to organize a third, which is set for this summer.

Also, Mikel said during his career, Smith was tasked with organizing scores of other ball tournaments and special events.

“He really had people’s best interests at heart,” Mikel said.

Barbara Tyler, the city’s grants coordinator who worked with Smith for 12 years, said he is simply “irreplaceable.”

“He was just a good person,” Tyler said. “Everybody liked him. He could get along with anybody. I think he just enjoyed people.”

Tyler said people will remember Smith most for his demeanor.

“(Smith) was a very generous man,” she said. “I think they’ll remember him from his smile and his laugh. When I think of Duke, that’s what I remember.”

Funeral arrangements are being directed by Marshall Hammonds Funeral Home. Visitation will be at Marshall Hammonds Funeral Home from 4:30 p.m. until 7 p.m. on Friday.

Funeral services will be held on Saturday at the Kiwanis Community Center at 2 p.m.

Smith was survived by his wife, Shelia; four daughters, Shunkisha Smith, Tiffany Smith, Stacie Smith and Camilla Gantt; a son, Zach Smith; and 10 grandchildren.