Library Budget Vote, Trustee Election Tuesday

The Babylon Public Library will hold its annual budget and trustee vote Tuesday and a newcomer is challenging a longtime board member in this year’s election.

The proposed budget of $1,827,271 represents a spend increase of 1.65 percent and  a 2.45 percent tax levy increase. If approved the taxpayer cost will be 86 cents more a month, just under $12 more a year. The current operating budget is $1,797, 527 and presented the same tax levy increase as the proposed budget.

The  increase, according to library officials, are primarily due to increasing retirement and health insurance costs that are impacting all municipal and school budgets. There is a 71 percent increase in retirement costs and a 16.8 percent increase in health insurance costs.

The budget cuts back on some library operations, such as the newsletter and computer technology needs. It has also reduced attorney budget costs by 33 percent.

“This is a very tight budget that controls spending and allows for the activities we have at the present,” said Library Director Marina Sullivan.

The library is putting $20,000 of fund balance toward the budget. Last year it used $34,000 in fund balance.

In a statement on its website, the library board states the proposal is “a sound, fiscally responsible tool that will enable the library to continue to provide services at its present level.”

“Escalating health insurance costs and mandated retirement pension contributions are the bulk of this year’s budget increase,” notes the library board in its statement. “State funding and grants have been reduced.”

According to the statement, the library provided 22 percent more programming this year including cooking, crafts, exercise, bridge and book discussions for all ages.

“Our residents are turning to library computers and Internet access to find work, apply for jobs online, type and print resumes and open email accounts. On-line registration is available for children, teen and selected adult programs,” notes the statement.

The library is continuing negotiations with the employee collective bargaining unit, which has been working without a contract since it expired on June 30, 2010. Sullivan said the library and the union is now heading into mediation talks. 

The board’s letter to residents on the budget also includes the following facts:

• 143,815 items were borrowed last fiscal year, up almost 5% from the previous year
• 126,499 people visited the library, up 23% from last year
  23,708  reference questions were asked and answered by librarians
• 14,222 uses of our in-library Internet computers were logged, plus 77,204 visits to the website
• 8,095 people attended 574 library sponsored cultural, educational and recreational programs
• 8,199 of 11,793 residents have library cards at the Babylon Public Library

In the trustee election, lifelong village resident Tara McNeil-Gonzalez is challenging library board president Frank Fronzo.

McNeil-Gonzalez is a certified elementary school teacher and is working on becoming a school librarian. In a letter to residents about her candidacy, she states she has “a passion for community service, literacy, new technologies and education.”

She will earn her second Master’s degree in December 2011 and achieved her first Master’s Degree in Childhood Education in 2004 from New York University and a Bachelor’s Degree from SUNY Plattsburgh in English Literature in 1998.

“I believe that the public library and its array of services and resources are vital to the success of our community,” said McNeil- Gonzalez, the mother of two children ages one and four. “I would like to increase participation and interest in current programs as well as support the development of new programs for children and young adults.”

She told Patch that if elected she will serve as an advocate for young families, children, and young adults in the village.

“I believe that we can serve even more patrons and inspire more people of all ages to become lifelong readers and users of technology through our library.”

Voting will take place from 12 noon to 9 p.m. in the periodical room.