Public forum addresses library levy
"We want voters to understand that we know money is short. But we need everyone's support. We are not asking for all we need, just enough to get by. We will not be adding hours or services; we just want to be able to continue to provide services at the present level," said Plains Public Library volunteer Cheri Seli in a plea to the public Thursday evening to increase the current mill levy from four to five in order to get more money in to the library system.
"We want voters to understand that we know money is short. But we need everyone's support. We are not asking for all we need, just enough to get by. We will not be adding hours or services; we just want to be able to continue to provide services at the present level," said Plains Public Library volunteer Cheri Seli in a plea to the public Thursday evening to increase the current mill levy from four to five in order to get more money in to the library system.
Ten years ago it was voted to have four mills go towards the library and now the library is asking to keep these four levies and add one more in order to remain operational. Since 2001, the library has issued 1,961 new cards and the number of items checked out has increased by over 79 percent and patron usage by 112 percent.
The new request for five mills would increase taxes by approximately $3 to $5 per tax bill.
Once Seli finished with her plea to raise the current mill levy, the floor opened to the public. Pamela Lynch of Plains was the first to ask for clarification on what it would mean if the library loses accreditation should this levy not pass.
Director of the library, Kerri Terrell explained that there are certain state and federal standards a library has to meet in order to be accredited with the State of Montana. One of the requirements is that the library needs to be open 30 hours a week.
"If this doesn't pass there's no way we can be open 30 hours and we wouldn't be eligible for grant money because we can't meet that standard," said Terrell.
School board member Katy French was the second person to address the raise in taxes for the library. French asked if there was a way to coordinate with other libraries in the system. The only library Plains could partner with is the library at the Plains high school. Terrell responded to this suggestion by saying that in order to have a community library, the libraries are required by Montana state law to be physically located in the same building, meaning the public library would have to move to the school.
French suggested changing the legislation on this issue that community libraries have to be housed in the same building. Chairman Carol Brooker directed French to bring up the issue with the state legislators.
If the library moved in to the school, Seli and French both agreed this would bring up safety issues for the students if members of the public were coming in and out of the school all day. Terrell also said there would not be enough room to house the 15,000 volumes currently housed in the public library.
Nora Verpoorten was next to address the public, saying that she has seen the library grow in the past years, especially since the economic downturn and people in the town are getting rid of their own Internet service and are turning to the library for school assignment or job searches.
"I love the library, Thompson Falls ran a levy the last time and it passed and I think for our children's sake we need to keep the library going," said Jennine Robbins, county Clerk and Recorder and the last member of the public to speak.
A resolution has not yet been decided on the increase in mill levies.