County Libraries Could See Reduction In Operating Hours
Editor
COFFEEVILLE – Library hours could be reduced in Coffeeville and Oakland as the Yalobusha County Public Library System struggles to deal with state funding cuts.
Yalobusha Public Library System Librarian Patty Bailey attended the “first Monday” supervisor meeting in Coffeeville on May 3, explaining the repercussions of 13.27 percent cut in state funding. The cuts stem from three rounds of state budget reductions handed down by Governor Haley Barbour to deal with less-than-anticipated revenue in the state.
“We are heavy on the state funding,” Bailey explained to supervisors in Monday’s update, which was also an appeal for more county dollars. Bailey explained that many other libraries in the state rely more heavily on local funding, either from counties or municipalities.
The libraries in Oakland and Coffeeville currently receive 40 percent of their $86,700 budget from state funding sources. An additional 38 percent comes from county, while municipalities kick in almost six percent of the operating expenses for the library system. The remaining 16 percent funding comes from other sources, Bailey told supervisors, including fines.
The cuts affect the personnel funding and will impact the number of operating hours in Coffeeville from 29 per week to 26 per week. In Oakland, the hours could be reduced from 24 hours to 21 hours per week, according to Bailey. The reduced hours would likely have the Oakland Library opening at 10 a.m. on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Currently the library opens at 9 a.m. on these days.
In Coffeeville, Bailey told supervisors that reduced hours would likely mean the library would not open on Friday mornings.
“This is another example of state cuts that is handed down the county level,” District 1 Supervisor Tommy Vaughn commented after Bailey’s presentation.
Board President Amos Sims told Bailey the board would not make a decision at Monday’s meeting, but instead would give the matter careful consideration.
The county’s public library system employs four, with a base salary pay of $9.50 per hour. Bailey also told supervisors she had identified five different grants to supplement the library funding, but grant money could not be used for salaries.
District Three Supervisor M.H. “Butch” Surrette was not at the meeting due to an illness.
Other business conducted at the meeting included:
• Granted a request from R.E.S., the company that provides curbside garbage pickup in the county, to change operations to pick up garbage Monday thru Thursday.
Currently the company works on a five day route, but with the move Richard Prewitt told supervisors his company would utilize two trucks instead of one.
In addition to increased service, Prewitt told supervisors the smaller garbage trucks would also cause less damage on county roads. Prewitt also said flyers will be posted on garbage cans, along with notices placed in the county’s newspapers alerting customers of the route changes.
May 17 is the tentative start date for the new routes, Prewitt told supervisors.
• Accepted several applications from logging companies to exceed the posted weight limit on county roads while hauling timber. The applications include:
Chad Clark Timber, Inc. in District 5 on County Road 71; Dennis Dorris in District 5 on County Road 9 and 10; Timberland Harvesters, LLC in District 3 on County Road 431; and Harrison Logging in District 3 on County Road 25.
• Adopted a county inmate work program which will allow justice court judges to offer county inmates the option to work off fines. The program has specific guidelines and only authorizes non-violent offenders who volunteer to work
• Accepted 311 homestead applications from Tax Assessor/Collector Linda Shuffield for 2010. These applications will be sent to the State Tax Commission and include applications for homestead exemption from Yalobushians.
• Approved the claims.
• Voted to enter executive session to discuss pending litigation on a right-of-way issue for a bridge replacement issue on County Road 131 than spans Turkey Creek.
