Library Needs $1,000 Bell Informs Council, Blind River 1994

Library Needs $1,000 Bell Informs Council

The public library is short of funds and needs $1,000 to pay it employees wages next month, says Councillor Evelyn Bell.

She asked municipal council Monday night at its regular meeting to provide the required money – saying the library board’s reserve fund was depleted.

Councillor Lila Cyr was surprised by Councillor Bell’s request and later said she hadn’t received a letter from the chairman of the board or the librarian requesting additional funding.

“The budget the board put in was a bare-bone budget”, said Councillor Bell at the Monday meeting. “But in spite of all that, it was cut.”

“The budget was increased.” Replied Mayor Bob Gallagher. “They were asked to hold within a five percent increase like all the others. We’re expecting all committees to follow the guidelines.”

According to budget documents, the town’s grant to the public library board in 1986 was $20,000 compared to $21,000 in 1985. In it’s budget proposal submitted to council in March 1986, the library board requested a town grant of $27,955.00.

The board received a $9,000 provincial government grant this year.

Chairman Frank McWhinnie was out of town and couldn’t be reached for comment.

The board still had $4,000 left of its town grant at the end of September said Chairman of the Finance Committee Lila Cyr.