Library board discusses removing $25 non-resident card fee; city administration says not this year

The Flugerville Library Board discussed whether to drop a $25 annual non-resident library card fee and an associated processing fee, but staff said the city administration would not support the change this year.

The issue surfaced during item 5A when board members asked staff for data on paid non-resident accounts and possible revenue. The Library Director reported city administration "was not in favor of that, at least not this year. So, basically, we can't do it," and said she would take follow-up questions to administration and email the board the response.

Board members reviewed the data staff provided. One board member said there were about 720 paid non-resident accounts and calculated a potential $18,000 in annual revenue from those cards at $25 each. Staff also noted paid non-residents represent roughly 2.5% of the cardholder base and that only a small number — about 40 — of non-resident accounts were associated with items that had not been returned.

No formal motion to change fees was made; the board did not vote on the policy. The director said the city administration’s financial or operational concerns appeared to be the main barrier and offered to return with additional detail after speaking with administration.

What’s next: staff will follow up with city administration, provide a clearer accounting of paid non-resident counts and revenue figures, and return the item for further discussion at a future meeting. The board took no formal action at the April 8 meeting.

Quote attribution: Direct quotes and numbers in this article are drawn from the board meeting transcript and attributed to the Library Director and board members who spoke during item 5A.

Ending: The discussion concluded without a vote; staff will report back to the board after consulting with city administration.