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Library director warns of deferred maintenance and rising subscription and utility costs
Summary
The Troy branch needs roof and heating repairs and the library faces higher subscription, utility and potential janitorial costs; the director asked commissioners to consider the increases while noting possible grant support but no guarantee of federal E-rate funding.
The library director told commissioners the library budget will rise by about $65,000, driven largely by rising subscription and database costs and deferred maintenance at the Troy branch.
The director said deferred maintenance includes a failing roof and unreliable wall-mounted space heaters that do not maintain a consistent temperature. "Those heaters are just wall mounted space heaters, ran off of a breaker that turns off and on. It doesn't maintain any heat," the director said, noting one recent day the building reached 78 degrees. The director added she has approached the foundation for grant help but said grant submittals are not guaranteed.
The library also faces higher utilities and the potential need to pay for janitorial and trash service at the Troy branch; the federal E-rate program that subsidizes internet costs is currently frozen, which could increase technology costs if the freeze continues.
The director requested commissioners review the proposed increases and indicated she had sent comparison budget materials in advance. No formal decisions were made during the meeting; commissioners said they would consider the request as part of the county budget process.
