The Niagara-on-the-Lake Public Library had the largest request of six organizations that came forward looking for their piece of the pie within the town’s 2024 budget on Tuesday morning.
The library is asking for $886,461, which is $63,000 more than what was granted to the organization by the municipality last year.
Two key items the library is looking for are an additional 12 hours of staffing per week to cover youth and family programming on Saturdays, as well as a service-planning study to determine the best ways all areas of town can be accommodated as the local population grows, library chief executive officer Cathy Simpson and board chair Darryl Novak told the town’s budget review committee in their presentation.
Referring to what could be done to address challenges the library might face related to growth within Niagara-on-the-Lake and all its villages, Coun. Wendy Cheropita asked if a program launched recently by the St. Catharines library, a self-serve branch that isn’t always staffed, could be explored.
“That was quite the innovative program,” said Cheropita, adding this would be appropriate for the Glendale area, a part of town expected to see significant residential growth in the coming years.
Novak said this has been discussed and that he likes this idea.
“That’s a perfect example of the kind of thing that needs to be considered in a longer-term plan,” he said, adding that building a standalone library isn’t necessarily a solution, but that incorporating new ideas into already existing municipal sites could be the way to go.
Later in the meeting, Coun. Gary Burroughs also brought up projected growth for the Glendale area.
Novak reiterated the importance of the study the library is hoping to see undertaken.
“We know enough about what’s projected for Glendale that we can start working on what the service requests are and how we can best do it,” he said.
After Simpson noted the proposed request equates to a 0.04-per-cent levy increase, Coun. Erwin Wiens, chair of the meeting, asked if the library board would be willing to defend itself and council if their request is granted.
“I’m OK to take the heat as an elected official – but if I’m raising taxes for the library – I expect the library board to be standing beside me saying, ‘yeah, we want that raise in taxes,’” said Wiens.
To Wiens’ comment, Novak responded, “absolutely.”
The library is also anticipating a $43,000 grant, and $17,000 in donations - $1,500 more than what was raised in 2023.
Novak said the library has enough in its reserves currently to cover capital costs related to computer equipment, but cautioned there could be a “significant” request next year.
Wiens, budget committee chair, told The Local that no decision has been made on the six requests brought to the committee, which consists of all members of council.
“They all do their pitch of what they want and then it comes back to the next meeting, and we decide what they get.”
The next budget meetings are scheduled for Nov. 22 and 28.
Wiens said it’s possible that budget deliberations will be wrapped up by the Nov. 28 meeting – before the entire spending plan goes to a council meeting for a vote shortly after.
“We’re closer to the end than we are the beginning.”