FAYETTEVILLE -- Ensuring the public library remains a first-class facility that can meet increasing demand will almost certainly require a bump in property taxes, library officials said Tuesday.
The library board talked about a "menu" of possible measures meant to sustain the library's material, events and services during a special meeting Tuesday. A long-term revenue committee has been poring over the choices for the board since the beginning of the year.
Tuesday was the board's first real look at the options, which include a slight late fee increase, raising rent for meeting room space, instituting a hiring freeze, charging for VIP access at specific library events and reinvesting $2 million set aside to buy the old City Hospital property.
The board's vote could come during the board's June 15 meeting, which is open to the public.
Altogether the changes could boost the library's income by little more than half a million dollars in the first year, or enough to fill part of the gap between rising use of the library and its relatively stagnant money sources. This shortfall is expected to balloon to $1 million in two years.
Janine Parry, a board member who chaired the revenue committee, stressed the fixes are meant to be temporary.
"It (the shortfall) shows no sign of abatement," she joked cheerfully to laughs from the board. "We won't be able to meet the demands much longer even with implementing these recommendations without a dedicated library millage."
The push for property tax is nothing new in this year's money discussions. Fayetteville pays 1 mill to the library, which is about $30 annually for the owner of a $150,000 home and sends more than $1 million to the library. Voters would have to approve anything more, and board members repeated they want to get the public involved with anything of the sort.
"We are going to have to push for millage -- I don't see any way around it," board member Suzanne Clark said.
The board seemed friendly to the options, though Susan Graham questioned charging donors more for special events.
"That seems kind of like a kick in the shins to me," since donors have already helped the library, she said. Other members said nonprofit groups often use such charges.
NW News on 05/20/2015