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Lake Bluff library asks finance committee for 9.5% levy to shore up facility reserves
Summary
The Lake Bluff Library Board presented levy scenarios to the finance committee Oct. 27, 2025, asking the village to accommodate a 9.5% levy request to partially address urgent facility needs and to support short-term operations while a multiyear strategic and facility plan is completed in 2026.
The Lake Bluff Library Board asked the finance committee on Oct. 27 for the village to accommodate a 9.5% library levy increase to help stabilize operations and provide limited funding for urgent facility needs.
Alexandra Bridal, Lake Bluff Library Board president, told the committee she and Treasurer Bonnie Shaw had prepared “at-a-glance levy proposal” scenarios and that the library faces “significant, budgetary challenges” including long‑standing capital needs such as aging HVAC systems, asbestos remediation and failing windows. Bridal said the library’s proposal for 2026 would yield roughly 70%–75% of the library’s stated annual facility target of $35,000 and would leave limited ability to place funds into a capital reserve.
The library described a three‑part planning process that will include a facility assessment, a financial plan prepared with a retained financial advisor, and a five‑year strategic plan driven by community focus groups. Bridal said the facility assessment will be completed within 30 days and the combined planning work is expected to be finished in 2026, with community focus groups scheduled for Nov. 4 to help shape priorities.
Committee members pressed whether the 9.5% levy would be sufficient if the library experienced a catastrophic infrastructure failure. Bridal said, “9.5 is not gonna be enough if we have catastrophic failures of some of the main infrastructure,” noting the library’s total reserves are about $440,000 and that the board has already approved dipping into reserves for near‑term repairs.
Finance staff reported the village’s current 2025 levy estimate (which combines the village and library portions) and said the estimate must be adjusted if the committee accepts the library’s 9.5% request. The committee agreed the finance staff will return with updated levy numbers at a subsequent meeting.
The presentation and discussion were informational; no levy vote occurred Oct. 27. Committee members and library representatives agreed the board would present a fuller strategic plan in the coming year to justify larger levy requests if needed.
The committee heard the library’s request during the meeting’s public‑comment/agenda item period and directed staff to update levy calculations for the next review.
