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Commissioners push back on library's roughly $300K'$352K increase; no immediate cuts ordered
Summary
The Liberty County board told library representatives the requested increase was too large to absorb in one year, asked the library to identify essential needs, and invited a follow-up meeting; no formal budget action was taken at the meeting.
Chairman Donald L. Lovett told a packed audience that commissioners had questioned a large increase in the Liberty County library budget and asked library leaders to return with a prioritized list of essential needs.
Lovett said the library's requested increase this year was substantial ' he cited figures of $300,000 and $352,000 at different points during his remarks ' and said the health insurance and staffing line items were the primary drivers. He said the county reviews all departmental requests the same way and that previous years the board had approved the library's full request.
The chair emphasized the source of funds for county departments is property taxes, and said commissioners must balance the requests of all county departments. He invited library representatives and community members to meet with county staff, specifically "Mister Moseley," to discuss the request in more depth. He repeated that the board had not ordered the library to close Saturdays and that no immediate policy change had been enacted at the meeting.
The board did not take formal action on the library budget at the meeting; commissioners said they could review the request again after the property digest is finalized and after further meetings with library officials.
Ending: Commissioners offered one-on-one follow-up meetings with library leaders and said the item could be revisited after the digest and appeals process.
