Schools
4% Budget Reduction Presents 'Complex Issues' for Library
Village board's latest directive will significantly impact staffing, library collection, overdue fines, library board chair Randy Colahan said.
As village budget talks continued Wednesday, department heads faced the tough task of presenting a further pared down budget to the board, which included a 4 percent reduction in personnel costs.
Randy Colahan, Garden City Library Board of Trustees chair, in a statement to village officials, said this latest directive will have a "significant impact" on anything from staff reductions to charging for DVDs to a reduction of hours that could lead to the library being closed on Sundays.
His statement, in full, is as follows:
"The Library Board of Trustees recognizes this is a very difficult financial year and all departments are making sacrifices. We have previously mentioned the substantial reductions made in the Library budget since 2009-2010. Since that time the overall Village budget has increased by 1.3% yet the Library budget has been decreased by 13.5%.
"This large, unbalanced burden by the Library should be taken into consideration by the Village Board of Trustees in determination of the Village contribution to the Library for the 2013-2014 budget.
"The Library Board of Trustees has previously met to discuss the requested 3% reductions to the 2013-2014 Library budget and reviewed tentative plans which will have significant impacts on the following:
"Last week an additional 4% reduction was requested. This presents complex issues for the Library to continue to operate and provide the quality of service expected by the residents. The Library Board of Trustees already has convened to address these additional reductions and is presently in discussions over the ramifications thereof.
"As you are well aware the final allocation of funding is the responsibility of the Library Board of Trustees once the Village contribution is determined."
Colahan did say the board was taking into consideration suggestions of the Citizens Budget Review & Advisory Committee (CBRAC), including the possible installation of an automated check out system and the elimination of free printout from the lab, instead placing an annual cap on the number of prints per library member.
"All options are on the table," he said.
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