Three library districts will vote on budgets

Voters in the West Hurley, town of Ulster and Rosendale library districts go to the polls Thursday.

Residents in the Rosendale, West Hurley and town of Ulster library districts will vote Thursday on proposed 2018 budgets.

Rosendale Library officials are seeking 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.

Spending under the proposed budget includes maintenance unchanged at $377,000; 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-year board terms being sought by incumbents Beth King, Eric Morrow, Michael Thomas and Kathy Wiacek.

West Hurley Library officials are seeking approval of a $219,504 2018 budget carrying a 2.82 percent increase of $6,017.

Voting will be from 4 to 8 p.m. in the library at 42 Clover St.

Under the budget, there would be a $211,354 property tax levy carrying a 2.93 percent increase of $6,017.

Library board President Norman Bowie said most of the increase is based on incremental raises for four part-time employees to meet the anticipated $15-per-hour state minimum wage requirement. Under the budget, salaries will be $99,931, for a 5.3 percent increase of $5,034.

Other lines in the budget include employee benefits at $30,103, for a 1.91 percent increase of $563; books unchanged at $14,500; building expenses at $24,770, for a 0.88 percent decrease of $220; and operations at $30,740, for a 1.59 percent increase of $480.

There are five library board seats that are available for election, but only four candidates will be on the ballot. Appointed incumbents Patricia Heinitz, Robert Hoffman, Howard Keene and Roseann Walz are seeking to return to the board, with three-year terms won by the candidates receiving the three highest vote totals and twoyear terms won by the fourth person on the ballot and or write-in candidates.

Town of Ulster Library officials are seeking approval of a $326,700 budget for 2018 carrying a 4.11 percent decrease of $14,000 from the amount approved by voters last year.

Voting will be from 2 to 8 p.m. in the library at 860 Ulster Ave.

Under the spending plan, the property tax levy would be unchanged at $304,200.

Line items in the budget include payroll at $173,000, for a 0.12 percent increase of $200; medical benefits unchanged at $36,000; library material unchanged at $22,000; utilities at $17,000, for a 6.25 percent increase of $1,000; Mid Hudson Library System at $12,300, for an 11.82 percent increase of $1,300; information technology and webmaster at $4,000, for a 33.33 percent decrease of $2,000; office supplies at $4,000, for a 20 percent decrease of $1,000; and equipment unchanged at $3,500.

Ulster library officials said there are four board seats carrying threeyear terms on the ballot. Incumbents Cynthia Wadnola and Allison Organtini are the only candidates that filed petitions, with the other two slots to be filled if there are write-in votes.