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Polk County library committee asks supervisors to forward five-year plan; seeks full rural reimbursement
Summary
Representatives of the Polk County Library Services Planning Committee presented a five‑year plan and circulation data Tuesday and asked the General Government Committee to forward the plan and attached resolution to the County Board; the committee voted to forward the package “without recommendation,” and the funding question will be decided later by the full board.
Representatives of the Polk County Library Services Planning Committee told the General Government Committee that the county’s five‑year library plan must be updated and asked the committee to forward the plan and attached resolution to the County Board.
Amanda Blackman, director of the Frederick Public Library, and Heather Wayarta, director of the Amery Area Public Library, presented circulation, visit and program data and explained the committee’s funding request. “The county currently reimburses us at 95% and we are asking today that you fund us at 100% reimbursement in line with the actual usage by rural residents,” Heather Wayarta said during the presentation.
The presenters told supervisors the plan documents actual 2024 usage by municipal, rural and nonresident borrowers, noted 15,000 public computer sessions and 55,000 public wireless uses in 2024, and described services that libraries provide—job search help, early literacy, and shared classroom resources—that the committee said justify maintaining or increasing reimbursement.
The presenters cited Act 150 as the state statute authorizing county funding of public libraries and emphasized that the county payment is treated outside the county levy cap. They also explained that the county’s reimbursement functions as a pass‑through to libraries and, if not paid, would reduce the tax credit currently realized by taxpayers.
Committee members debated whether forwarding the plan with language that includes a 100% funding goal would be interpreted as a county financial commitment. One supervisor asked that the committee remove a specific funding percentage from the resolution language; staff clarified that the committee can modify the resolution text but not the contents of the library plan itself.
After discussion, a supervisor moved to forward the resolution and plan to the County Board and to place the item on the County Board’s committee of the whole agenda “without recommendation” because of the potential financial implication. The motion was seconded and the committee approved it by voice vote.
No final county funding decision was made at the committee meeting; presenters and staff noted that actual funding levels will be considered in the county’s budget process and by the full County Board.
The presentation materials and the committee’s forwarded resolution will go to the County Board for consideration; the committee asked staff to make clear to the Board that adopting the plan is distinct from setting a funding level.
