Library budget proposed at $313,050 for 2018

Rosendale Library officials on Sept. 7 will ask for voter approval of a $313,500 budget for 2018, carrying a 0.9 percent increase of $2,800.

Voting will be from 11 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. in the library at 264 Main St.

Under the spending plan there would be a $307,900 property tax levy representing a 0.92 percent increase of $2,800.

Director Wendy Alexander said that in 2016 there were 37,500 visits to the library and 2,473 registered borrowers. She added that the facility has taken on an added sense of importance as people shift back into reading hard-copy editions, seek ways to provide children with fulfilling activities, and use technology that they don’t have at home.

“We’ve have seniors who come to the library to use the computers and read the newspapers,” she said. “We have a children’s program here formally and we have the summer reading club as well for children, which we think is a really important initial step for children. They come in with their parents or other family members and take books out, picture books and that type of thing, which is a good way to get started.”

Spending under the proposed budget includes maintenance unchanged at $37,700; salaries unchanged at $172,000; unidentified “other” expenses at $28,050 for a 19.36 percent increase of $4,550; retirement benefits at $25,000 for a 10.71 percent decrease of $3,000; materials at $25,000 for a 4.12 percent increase of $1,000; technology at $7,000 for a 40 percent increase of $2,000; and legal fees at $5,000 for a 100 percent increase of $2,500.

Also on the ballot is an uncontested race for four board seats being sought by incumbents Beth King, Eric Morrow, Michael Thomas and Kathy Wiacek.

Absentee ballots will be available at the library by Aug. 18 and they must be postmarked by Sept. 5 or hand delivered to the library by Sept. 6.

A public information session on the budget is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Aug. 23 in the library.