Library Pleads For Smaller Reduction Of Royersford Library's Funding

Montgomery County-Norristown Public Library executive director Kathleen Arnold-Yerger attended Tuesday's Council meeting to ask the council to reconsider the 50 percent funding cut currently in the borough's 2012 budget.

Arnold-Yerger said that in the past, the borough has budgeted $1.06 per capita as its share of the library's funding, for a total of approximately $5,000. The 2012 budget reduces that amount to 53 cents per capita.

"We are asking you to consider a 20 percent cut [to 84 cents per capita] instead of a 50 percent cut," Arnold-Yerger said. "We had 52 teen and adult programs as of Oct. 31 this year. We also had 284 childrens' programs with over 11,000 attendees. Adults are in here using our computers to look for jobs and send resumes."

Borough manager Michael Leonard said the cuts were "very hard" to do, but he had some positive news for the library.

"I see this as more of a one-year problem," Leonard said. "It's not long term, and we should be able to restore the full amount next time [in the 2013 budget]."

Royersford's new mayor, John Guest, urged the board in his mayor's report to consider the library's request.

During the Finance Committee report, committee chairman John Kring announced that the full budget will be brought to the table for voting at the second November meeting.

He that the borough will not be imposing a tax increase on residents this year.

Leonard said that the increase would have been 3.88 mills had they accepted all the requests made by department heads and organizations. Instead, cuts were made to reduce that additional tax amount to zero.

"I'm not unsympathetic to the library, historical society or fire department," Kring said. "There's no way we're going to impose a tax increase this year."

In other council business, David Dawson, of Hannah Court, Royersford, asked council if he could have permission to raise money to refurbish the basketball courts at .

Dawson would like to put up new goals, rims and nets and repave the court.

"If I need any permits or insurance, I wanted to find out," he said.

Council President Thomas Weikel said the council would run the idea by the borough engineer to see what the estimated cost might be and let Dawson know what he needs to do.