Dayton Chronicle - Your Hometown News Source

DAYTON- The Columbia County Rural Library 2024 budget hearing was held during the regular monthly meeting on November 20 for the Board of Trustees to review and approve the draft for the 2024 budget. Included in the budget was the allowed 1% increase of the county tax levy.

The 2024 Budget Hearing took a good part of the meeting on November 20. The draft budget did not include the beginning fund balance because according to Brigham the amount is unknown until the end of the year. Last year the balance forward was $332,400.

The proposed budget included a 1% increase allowed to be taken of the county tax levy of $4,700 and other increases of $5,300 from investment interest, $2100 from trust interest and some minor increases in other areas like fees bringing the total increase to $15,000 or $505,000 for next year. Of that amount, all of it was accounted for in the budgeted expenditures other than a few minor things totaling $1800 and the salary for a library assistant they have yet to hire. That position had a budget of $17,680 in 2023. Once the position is filled salaries and wages with benefits would account for $375,000 of the budget and professional services for mainly attorney, accounting and IT fees is another $25,000.

Board member Kevin Rust presented to the Board a letter designating him as proxy for Beleny, which included his vote against the budget increase. He joined Beleny in voting no; and Karin Spann and Sharon Mendell voted yes. Chairman Jay Ball cast a tie-breaking vote in favor of the increase thus passing the resolution. Also voted on was take up to $50,000 of any additional levy funds, if available, with the vote split the same way which required Ball's favorable vote to pass it.

Ellen Brigham gave her report on library services. The Discovery Kids program had 10 kids and five adults in attendance. They also offered an Escape Room event on Halloween that she reported was well attended.

The review of Chapter Three of the Collection Development Policy was tabled for the December meeting.

There were approximately 15 citizens in attendance either in-person or online for the meeting. One such person, Thomas Utt, commended the Board for addressing the background check policy for volunteers. He assumes it was motivated by wanting to protect children and desires the same when addressing the collection and display policy. "I assume is motivated out of concern for protecting children and I hope the same motivation will also guide the library's collection and display policy," said Utt.

Marcene Hendrickson commented that there need to be more communications and camaraderie between the board and public. "I feel we need better interaction between the Board and the community," said Hendrickson, that people can make comment, but that the Board does not have to respond, and there has been little response. When reviewing the policy, the public should be able to provide input and it is the Board's chance to respond to the concerns about the collection when making changes."