Library holds budget summary discussions
Members of the The Fort Myers Beach Library District Board of Directors listened to public input after a brief presentation by Dr. Leroy Hommerding at its first budget hearing for the fiscal year 2010-11 on Thursday. The board is proposing a tentative millage rate of 0.5989 -the same millage as last year- and will meet for its final hearing next Tuesday, Sept. 28, at 6:30 p.m. to set the upcoming year’s budget.
During the presentation, Hommerding discussed the Beach library’s services and history while participants viewed a power presentation. The board has made efforts to keep expenses under control while preparing for construction to expand the existing library with a new building worth roughly $8 million. The FMB library district, which extends to Pine Ridge Road, is expecting revenue to be 10.69 percent less for 2010-11.
“It’s so easy to focus on money, yet, as a public library, there is so much that we do in terms of serving the public which is difficult to quantify,” said Hommerding, who listed cultural enrichment, writers and musical workshops, artistic presentations and exhibits, craft programs, patriotic historic programs as some of the services the Beach library offers.
The Beach librarian also said the Beach district has had a lower millage rate than the county system in recent years. The presentation showed that the Beach district had a millage rate of 0.3900 in 2000-01 and 0.3415 the next three years while the county charged 0.9630 during that time frame.
The library’s building fund has received a lot of private donations throughout the seven-year long-range plan. According to Hommerding, the addition will provide space and material for the increased usage, reported to be a 23 percent increase in the past decade.
“There is no room to do what we need to do,” said Hommerding. “We have constraints. We sometimes have to cut off registration on some of our popular activities because we cannot go beyond fire capacity for the room. “
While the new building may create jobs and improve the carbon footprint for Fort Myers Beach and beyond, many participating residents questioned the high millage rate being afforded to taxpayers’ money and the timing for construction of a new building during the weak economy. A 3.40 percent interest payment on a $2 million bond is currently being paid during a three-year period.
One resident said that building a new library at this stage is poor timing and would rather see other ways to stimulate the economy to get more business and residents back on the island.
Another resident suggested a referendum to see what the residents want or a reduction in spending such as using $2 million to build a smaller addition. One public input speaker recommended asking town officials for a trolley pulloff in front of the library.
“If we were to be starting it today, I’d vote against it,” said FMB Library Board Member Lori Wolf. “But, we are not starting it today, we are finishing it today.”
Besides Wolf, the library board members are Karen Swanbeck, Debbie Whitehead, Sallie Seabury, Judy FitzSimmons and Katie Corning (who had an excused absent). They meet each month on the fourth Tuesday.
Fort Myers Beach Library District
Budget Summary in $$
Revenues Current Year Proposed 2010-11 Percent Change
Tax Income 2,069,247 1,848,024 -10.69
State Aid 16,200 11,000 -32.10
Miscellaneous 41,032 29,300 -28.59
Total Revenues 2,216,479 8,888,324 -11.20
Expenditures
Capital Outlay 129,800 127,600 -1.69
Debt Service 1,106,926 803,814 -27.38
Supplies/Training 24,615 25,600 +4.00
Personnel 511,075 555,647 +8.72
Plant & Equipment 186,450 207,500 +11.29
Administrative 159,913 160,513 +0.38
Reserve 7,700 7,650 -0.65
Total Expenditures 2,126,479 1,888,324 -11.20