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Library board seeks staff funding and QuickBooks conversion as commissioners consider one-step increases
Summary
The St. Mary's County Library Board asked commissioners to treat library staff as a fourth employee group for step increases, and requested funding for health-cost increases and a planned QuickBooks conversion; commissioners indicated support to fund one step and the conversion as part of the recommended budget.
Representatives of the St. Mary’s County Library Board asked commissioners on March 17 to include the library among employee groups considered for step increases and requested additional one-time funding to support a fiscal-system transition and increased health costs.
A library board representative said library staff number 48 full-time-equivalent positions and rely primarily on county tax dollars for compensation and benefits. The board requested funding for: (1) one step for library staff (estimated $40,000), (2) an estimated $20,000 to cover additional health-insurance costs, and (3) approximately $30,000 to support a QuickBooks Online conversion and associated staffing to move financial functions into the library.
Commissioners discussed the request and several said they could support funding the QuickBooks integration, one step for library staff and the health-cost item. One commissioner described the library as a “fourth group” of employees dependent on county funding and urged the board to be included in step considerations alongside county employees, sworn corrections and the sheriff’s office.
County staff and commissioners noted that some administrative functions had previously been provided by county finance staff and that moving those functions to the library will create ongoing staffing requirements; the library estimated part of the $30,000 is additional staffing rather than software subscription costs alone. Commissioners asked staff to reflect the $90,000 package (step, health costs and QuickBooks conversion) in the recommended budget materials prepared for the March 24 vote.
No formal roll-call vote appears in the transcript; the record shows commissioners’ verbal agreement to include the library package in the recommended budget materials forwarded to public hearing.
