Council delays vote on Allen County Public Library 2026 budget after wide public support and budget questions

The Fort Wayne Common Council on Sept. 23 opened a public hearing on the Allen County Public Library—onsulting financing and 2026 budget and voted to hold final action for two weeks to allow the library and council time to reconcile salary placeholders and updated revenue numbers.

The hearing drew more than a dozen public speakers who urged the council to approve the library—udget and to support the library s a community resource. "Our library has been a cornerstone of this community for well over a hundred years," said Lisa Worrell, a resident who spoke in favor of the budget. Susan Beyer, executive director of the Allen County Public Library, told the council, "However, this is a special year," because the library is reintroducing a debt service levy to finance phase 1 of a facility master plan.

Why it matters: The library seeks approval of a 2026 budget that includes a reintroduced debt-service levy to repay bonds for the first phase of a previously approved facility master plan. The financing will affect the library ebt-service fund for one year and is the reason the budget entered binding review and came before the council.

Key facts and numbers: - The library said phase…