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Carmel trustees weigh 2025–26 budget scenarios as state, federal cuts threaten services
Summary
Trustees heard staff outline three budget scenarios after federal and state funding reductions; potential losses include the Parks Pass program and some state-funded subscriptions. Staff recommended planning for conservative income and prioritizing core services.
Board members of the Carmel Public Library Board of Trustees on Monday reviewed preliminary budget assumptions for fiscal 2025–26 as staff warned of cuts to state and federal funding streams and uncertainty in interest income.
Library Director Ashley (last name not specified) told trustees that the Institute of Museum and Library Services budget ‘‘has been zeroed out,’’ a change that she said reduces state library allocations used for programs such as the Parks Pass program, discounted digital magazine subscriptions and cooperative e‑book purchasing.
That, Ashley said, means the board must choose among three broad budgeting approaches: a conservative scenario that reduces assumed interest and outside funding, a status‑quo scenario that maintains current services while monitoring risk, and a no‑reductions scenario that assumes optimistic returns from interest and partner fundraising.
Why it matters: Staff said some services now depend on state or federal pass‑through funds. If those funds disappear, the library would either absorb those costs in its operating budget or discontinue the services. Trustees discussed which services are ‘‘core’’ and which are ‘‘nice to have’’ while staff develops more detailed estimates.
Key details and amounts discussed
- Flipster (digital magazines): staff estimated a full annual cost of about $5,000 if the state discount and consortium support end. (Library Director Ashley)
- Park passes: staff said the library circulates 39 physical Park Passes; replacing the program with individual annual subscriptions for the same circulation would cost roughly $7,500 per year.
- E‑rate (federal discounts for internet service): staff said the library’s eligibility and the size of federal credits are uncertain while federal policy debates continue.
- Friends of the Library revenue: the Friends are forecasting optimistic receipts up to $40,000, but staff said prior conservatism produced smaller estimates and recommended preparing alternate budgets.
Trustee discussion
Trustee John Krisscher pressed staff to quantify usage and to separate core services from extras before committing to expense increases. ‘‘Is Park Passes really a functional library service? Is it nice to have? Absolutely. Is it a core function that we want to die on the hill for?’’ Krisscher asked.
Other trustees recommended preparing prioritized lists of cuts and asking the Carmel Public Library Foundation and Friends of the Library to consider contingency support should state or federal funds be lost.
Next steps
Staff will produce scenario budgets showing the conservative, status‑quo and optimistic paths, provide more detailed circulation and utilization data (for Flipster and park passes), and return to the board at a future meeting with recommended priorities and requested figures for foundation partners. No binding budget decisions were made at the meeting.
