Library funding upsets Ft. Smithers
Council passes three per cent tax increase for 2015 budget
Paul Bickford
Northern News Services
Published Monday, December 22, 2014
THEBACHA/FORT SMITH
The Town of Fort Smith has passed its 2015 budget – with a three per cent property tax increase – but the most controversial issue was funding and support for the community's public library.
A delegation from a grassroots organization called Friends of the Library appeared before council on Dec. 16 to make a final pitch for more funding before council voted on the budget.
The delegation – supported by about 15 people in the public gallery – pointed to increased usage of the Mary Kaeser Library, and argued for more funding, increased staffing, improved job safety, expanded opening hours and better communication between town hall and the library.
Patti-Kay Hamilton, a member of Friends of the Library, said she and many others struggle to understand how community-minded people like those on town council can support millions of dollars for recreation facilities, while denying a "modest request" from the library.
"We need to fix this. We can fix this," Hamilton told council.
Friends of the Library presented a petition containing more than 300 signatures.
The library had requested $175,300 in town funding for 2015.
However, council only approved $118,000, which was still a 23 per cent increase over the $95,200 in the 2014 budget.
Coun. Don Webb told the delegation that council values the library, but has to deal with economic issues of rising costs and increasing taxes.
"I have not talked to an individual in Fort Smith, outside of the group that probably is here, who favours a tax increase just for the library," he said.
Webb promised to introduce a motion in January to have a complete study done on the Mary Kaeser Library, including funding sources, hours of operation and programs.
"This has never been done before," he said, adding there is obviously a problem. "It has to be addressed properly and in the proper manner."
Later at the Dec. 16 meeting, the budget was passed by a vote of 5-2, with councillors Kevin Smith and Lynn Napier-Buckley opposed.
Councillor calls for more library funding
Prior to the vote, Napier-Buckley presented an explanation – complete with numbers on large sheets which she stuck to the wall – detailing how council reached its decision on library funding.
She argued that providing the increase requested by the library would mean only a small additional increase in taxes.
"I don't see that asking a half of a per cent for an increase for the library to be staffed in the amount that they requested is unreasonable," she said to applause from the public gallery.
Smith said 99 per cent of the budget is good.
However, he noted, "I don't think that it accurately reflects the cost of providing all the programs and services that the community is communicating that they want."
Coun. Chris Westwell acknowledged the library is getting a lot of use.
"I actually think that the money that we need to make this work is in the budget and that, when we review immediately what some of our actual wages and allocations are, we can find what is needed in here to make this work better," he said.
At the end of the Dec. 16 meeting, Bruce Buckley, an assistant librarian, took the opportunity of an open question period to express his concerns, particularly about a lack of communication by the town.
"We have tried our best to go through the channels that we are supposed to go through and we have had very little response," he said.
Buckley also called for more employees at the library.
Westwell responded to Buckley by calling it a "nightmare" process.
"The absolutely worst situation imaginable is to have a public meeting where town staff is publicly denouncing management to council," the councillor said.
On the day after the meeting, Mayor Brad Brake said there had been some incorrect information circulating around town and on Facebook about the library prior to the budget vote, such as the town was considering cutting hours and programs.
"It was a tempest in a teapot," he said, adding most community residents don't think the library is due more funding.
However, the mayor said there is clearly a communication issue.
Brake noted the library is open 31 hours a week, and the GNWT provides 32 hours of wages for a librarian and assistant librarian, while the town covers 41 hours, which will increase to 44 hours in the 2015 budget.
"There is enough money in there to have two staff on at all times, quite simply, and 14 hours left over besides," he said, adding the extra hours cover a weekend librarian and pages.
Brake stressed council supports the library.
"We do see it as a very important service to the community," he said.
"All things aside, we still have to do what's best for the town as a whole."
As for the overall $8.6-million town budget for 2015, Brake said there won't be any major new spending, and no layoffs or reduction in services.
"We're looking at it as a stay-the-course budget," he said. "We're still focused on the future, but we're trying to utilize our budget as efficiently and effectively as we can. The increases that come with this budget are due to forced growth."
That forced growth is caused by various rising costs, such as fuel and supplies, and to a lesser extent increases in the collective agreement with town workers.
Brake said while the town is looking at about a three per cent tax increase, that might be lower for some people by the time mil rates are set and other adjustments are made.
