Friendsville Library Board approves 2024–25 budget with roughly $60,358 increase

The Friendsville Library Board on the evening approved its 2024–25 proposed budget, endorsing a requested increase of approximately $60,358 to cover staffing, program expansions and modest capital needs.

The finance and budget committee presented the proposal, noting last year’s focus on building maintenance and staff development. The board discussed a request to add a full-time circulation clerk to relieve program staff, modest increases in advertising and subscriptions tied to higher activity, and two capital projects: replacement furniture and reconfiguration of the story-time room to remove an underused stage and add flooring and youth furniture.

During discussion the library director explained two operating lines already over budget — water and sewer — were driven in part by extra watering for a new garden, and that electric costs had come in under budget after HVAC runtime adjustments; the director said savings from electricity would be moved to cover the water/sewer overages. A committee member noted state requirements can affect library spending patterns.

A motion to approve the 2024–25 budget was made and the board adopted it by voice vote; no roll-call tally was recorded in the meeting transcript. The board did not record a formal named second or individual vote tallies in the audio transcript.

Next steps: the board will present the approved budget to the mayor and board of aldermen as part of the city budget process, and HR will provide final salary-cost figures for staffing proposals before positions are filled.