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02/20/2018 02:00 PMMuch of the recent news surrounding the E.C. Scranton Memorial Library has focused on the renovation project, but as the town prepares the overall operating budget for the coming fiscal year, questions have been raised as to how much the library should expect in an operating budget when it moves to a temporary location. On Feb. 12, library, Board of Finance (BOF), and Board of Selectmen (BOS) officials sat down to discuss the library operating budget for fiscal year 2018-’19.
Over the past 20 years, the town has covered anywhere from 84- to 88 percent of the library operating budget. This year the library asked for $1,248,481 from the town, a one-percent decrease from the current fiscal year. However, with the library set to move to a smaller, temporary location for construction starting sometime this year, the town put forward an additional $300,000 reduction for the library operating budget.
Library Board of Trustees President Beth Coyne said while she assumes the $300,000 reduction reflects a belief that the library will not provide services during construction, she said that is not the case.
“In our minds when we built our operating budget for this next fiscal year, we knew we would be operating a library just like we have been,” she said. “…We understand the position you are in and that we will be asked among many to tighten our belts and cut some corners. I just hope that we can come to some mutual understanding as to what that could look like and not debilitate library services not only this year, but in two years when we go to re-open.”
The current library budget proposal includes keeping all 11 full-time and 8 part-time employees. Library Director Beth Crowley said she did make reductions in the budget to account for fewer materials, lower operating costs, and other items in this budget proposal. While there might be fewer materials in the temporary space, Crowley said the library is planning to reach out to other town departments and locations to maintain services, something for which she says she needs her full staff.
“I am excited to use this as an opportunity to see how we can do more outreach, how we can get out in the community more,” she said. “We will be using some additional square footage in town buildings and I have some ideas on where we can possibly go…On-site limits will keep us from providing as much programming as we did, but I will need staff to be offsite in order to do some of that outreach so we can continue to provide some of those services to the level that is acceptable.”
Some town officials had doubts about the level of service the library could provide during construction, including BOF member Mark Casparino.
“I would think the people in the town, when they know that the library is going through this kind of modification, that most reasonable taxpayers in town would anticipate service disruption to some extent,” he said.
When asked how the library would make the cuts to get to $300,000, Crowley said she would have to look at reducing staff, eliminating raises, reducing the medical contribution, and cutting back on money for things like the library strategic plan. Coyne said it would come down to some tough decisions.
“I don’t want to seem like I am too soft-hearted here, but when you have someone who has worked at the library for 25 years, has a kid in college, someone who has a new baby, to turn to them and say either thanks so much for your service or you don’t get a raise and by the way your health insurance is going up,” she said. “…I would have a hard time making that decision.”
BOF member Ken Kaminsky said while the boards are just trying to look for meaningful ways to reduce the budget, “those kinds of decisions are made every day.” Additionally, BOS member Bruce Wilson questioned how the library would use all of its staff when it moves to a smaller location.
“Your dilemma has been that the physical space is really too small to do all of the programming that you are doing now,” he said. “…Now we are going to move into a smaller space and offer the same amount of programs—how on earth does that work?”
A Temporary Space
Part of the change in the library operating budget will be the use of a new space during construction. The library is obligated to pay the lease on the space and any transportation costs to move in and out, but the operations of the temporary space still fall under the town. Crowley said fortunately she has found a likely location.
Madison Earth Care reached out to Crowley and offered the two story building on its property near the Route 80/Route 79 circle for library use. Crowley said while the building is a bit smaller than she would like, the rent is lower than expected, the building is ADA compliant, and the structure can hold the weight of library book stacks.
“The other advantage to being a little farther north is we will meet the needs of some of our residents who have said they wished we were a little further north in town,” she said.
Crowley said there are still details to work out with the landlord and items like organizing what services the library can or cannot provide in the space. Crowley said she hopes to take 20 percent of the library collection to the temporary space and the rest will go into storage, but First Selectman Tom Banisch said there is one more check the library needs before committing to this location.
“Just looking at this layout, I would caution you that you should talk to the fire marshal because you have a lot of dead-end space in here,” he said. “Before you commit to anything, you should have that checked out.”