Subject: [NEXTEL-1] City Shifts $50K From Nextel To Books- After Nextel Deal Falls Through-

From: [email-masked]
Date: Sun, 31 Aug 2003 04:05:37 -0400

City Shifts $50K From Nextel To Books- After Nextel Deal Falls Through-
Article published Aug 30, 2003
City gives library $50,000 for books

By Todd Twilley
Staff Writer

FLORENCE – The Florence-Lauderdale Public Library recently got some help from the
city with a $50,000 appropriation for books.

But the library could find itself in a financial quagmire come October.
If the library receives the same funding next year from the city, county and
state, it will run into a $200,000 shortfall, said director Elisabeth South.

For several years the city contributed an extra $50,000 to the library for books.
This year, that money was shifted to an incentive to recruit a Nextel call center.

After that deal fell through, council members decided to appropriate the money
back to the library.
But South said next year's budget, which begins Oct. 1, is approaching $1 million.

"We had some expenses we didn't foresee," she said. "We had some extra costs
associated in preparing the building for opening that were not covered in
construction costs."

South said the library also had to hire a security guard and more staff.
"Our circulation has tripled since we moved to the new building," she said.
And with that has come the purchase of additional materials to supply library
shelves.
Councilman Tyndal Davis pushed for the $50,000 to be reallocated to the library.
He said the increased use shows the new building is a success.

The county owns 50 percent of the library. The city funded the entire purchase and
construction price, South said.
Councilman Bill Coussons said others need to step up to the plate.
"Look at how much they are funded from the city and everywhere else," he said.
"When everyone talks about being in there together, the city is in there real
strong."

Florence provided almost 70 percent of the funding for the library this year at
$480,000.
The county and the state provide $63,360 and $65,582 respectively.
The library also generated $45,000 and budgeted $40,000 income from Friends of the
Library.
Lauderdale County Commissioner Mike Curtis said the county increased library
funding last year and has yet to review the library budget for the coming year.

"It's premature," he said. "We look at it on a year-to-year basis."
Curtis said the county also has to fund libraries in Killen, Rogersville and
Lexington.
County administrator Jenoice Bevis said the county allocated $90,000 to regional
libraries this year and that is what the system has requested again for next year.

South prepared numbers to compare funding between Florence and Lauderdale County.
According to her report, 49 percent of new patrons using the library this budget
year are from unincorporated Lauderdale County. By comparison, 43 percent of new
patrons are from Florence.
"Florence-Lauderdale Library has more patrons with Killen addresses than Killen
Library has total patrons, regardless of address," according to South's report.

"Florence provides 60 percent of library patrons and 67 percent of the budget.
Lauderdale County provides 30 percent of patrons and 9 percent of budget," the
report reads. South said that books would likely be the first thing cut from the
budget if funding is not found.

South said she doesn't want to lay off people or cut hours.
"We could open an hour earlier and stay open an hour later and still be busy," she
said.
"It's easy to cut hours. It's easy to cut books, but the results are really bad."
Todd Twilley can be reached at 740-5728 or [email-masked].

http://www.timesdaily.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20030830/NEWS/308300319/1011

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