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Library board flags growing capital gap as Moab branch turns 20
Summary
The Grand County Public Library Board reviewed six years of budgets and warned that reliance on fund balance has left no routine contributions to capital projects; board members discussed strategies including a possible tax‑rate freeze to fund repairs to the 20‑year‑old Moab Library.
The Grand County Public Library Board reviewed six years of revenues and expenditures on March 12, 2026, and heard that the library has historically used its fund balance to cover operations for roughly five to six years between tax‑rate adjustments. Library Director Carrie Valdes told the board the practice has kept operations stable but "has not included any contributions to the capital projects account." Valdes noted the Moab Library building is now 20 years old and "requires several significant repairs to the roof, lighting fixtures, bathrooms, and additional needs related to 20 years of wear and tear on a heavily used facility."
Valdes said the board's current practice—drawing on fund balance to smooth annual operations—means the capital account has not been replenished for planned maintenance. She presented the library's recent financial trend, saying the fund‑balance approach has balanced operations but leaves the library exposed to larger, unplanned repair costs. Board members discussed whether to shift from the current cadence of relying on fund balance toward a model that sets aside recurring capital contributions.
