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Libraries win support in budget talks

Posted on June 11, 2009 by Staff

County commissioners prepare to vote Tuesday

By Kirk Ross
Staff Writer

Hillsborough — The Orange County Board of Commissioners agreed Tuesday night to find a way to keep the Carrboro Branch Library and Cedar Grove Library open.

During a budget workshop in Hillsborough, the commissioners reviewed alternatives to a proposed reduction in library services, including the closing of the two branches. County Manager Laura Blackmon’s proposed budget recommended closing the two branches and moving employees to Hillsborough to staff the county’s new main library.

The alternative plan would shift money from reserve funds to keep the branches open. In addition, commissioners agreed on a plan to raise the county’s per capita spending on library services to the state average.

At the Carrboro Branch, librarian Anne Pussey said she was delighted.

“I am incredibly pleased with the decision and the commitment to provide for a quality library service for residents,” she said, adding that the library had been braced for a cutback. “We knew this was a tough budget year, so we were prepared for the possibility that we wouldn’t be able to be around, but
we were hopeful that we would be able to find a way to fund all the libraries.”

County board chair Valerie Foushee said the decision shouldn’t be seen as a turnaround, since the board had never agreed to make the proposed cuts in the first place.

The proposal was not popular with board members, she said, but they decided to wait and look at solid alternatives before ruling them out.

Commissioners Bernadette Pelissier and Mike Nelson said they were pleased that the branch closings were off the table.

“It’s one thing to reduce services, but to close an entire library is a very different thing,” Pelissier said.

Nelson said the threat of losing the libraries was a “kick in the butt” that got commissioners to reconsider how it funds library services. The county, he said, spends only about $15 per capita on library services, well under the state average of $22.

Nelson said the plan adopted Tuesday night raises funding to $19.8 per capita this year and up to the state average next year.

That should help the county in discussions with Chapel Hill, Nelson said. Chapel Hill officials have complained for years that its library gets heavy use from non-residents and that that’s not reflected in the county’s level of support. Town and county discussions on the issue are expected to continue this summer and fall.

“That’s been a valid criticism,” Nelson said. “This year’s budget and next year’s helps relieve some of that tension and hopefully the town and the county can have more fruitful conversations.”

In other action at the work session, the board agreed to move ahead with funding for the Carrboro High School arts wing.

Last month, dozens of supporters of the school urged that the project should move forward in light of the school board’s decision to delay the Northside elementary school project for another year.

The commissioners are scheduled to meet again today (Thursday) to hammer out further details on the budget. A vote is expected at the next commissioners meeting, Tuesday at 7 p.m. at the Southern Human Services Center.

Foushee said she was trying to be realistic about the budget.

“Despite what some people think,” she said, “Orange County is a microcosm of the rest of the country.” Job losses and cuts in benefits are being felt here as well, she said.

“We want to make sure we provide the services that are necessary, but we can’t do that beyond what the taxpayers can afford.”

Foushee said she is concerned about the impact of state budget cuts in education, mental health, children’s health insurance and Medicaid.

1 thought on “Libraries win support in budget talks”

  1. James Barrett says:
    June 12, 2009 at 7:32 am

    Foushee is “concerned about impact of state budget cuts in education”???? Really? Then why did she go and vote for additional cuts in education at the county level last night? We have a flat revenue picture but the schools are getting seriously cut. Not fair to the most important segment of our community. Education is critical for everything else in the future!

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