Bailey Public Library employee Nick Perry looks for a title in Winthrop in September. The Town Council voted on Monday to add $4,500 to the library’s budget, which will enable it to maintain summer reading programs and other offerings. Andy Molloy/Kennebec Journal file
WINTHROP – The Winthrop Town Council has approved an $11.2 million municipal budget that restores some funding for the town’s library so it can maintain summer reading programs and other offerings.
In an earlier round of budget discussions, councilors had cut $6,000 from the Bailey Public Library. But at Monday night’s meeting, Councilor Elizabeth Peters introduced a motion to reallocate the funds to the library, citing its importance as a valuable attraction for the community.
The council negotiated and voted 4-2 to instead add $4,500 back into the library’s budget. Councilors James Steele and Linda Caprara voted against the motion. It was the only change made to the budget Monday.
Peters highlighted that coming up with a reasonable budget was challenging, and officials had to make two rounds of cuts.
“There was a lot of pressure on the various departments, including the library, to cut funds,” she said. “This left the librarian with the bare minimum instead of reading programs.”
The cuts would have impacted several aspects of the library, she said.
“It is important to see these funds back,” said Peters. “It would affect the audiobooks, the digital books, and the regular books in the library and even the summer reading programs that keep the kids off the streets and give them something to do. Your library is aging if there are such cuts.”
Council member Shannon McDonnell supported the reallocation of funds but reminded residents in attendance to utilize public meetings to voice their objections.
“Library funds are absolutely important. It is one of the greatest assets of our town. But I also wanted to set a precedent, hoping to encourage the residents to attend the meetings,” said McDonnell.
The reallocated funds will keep most of these programs afloat, though some will be discontinued.
Library Director Richard Fortin did not respond Tuesday to an inquiry about which programs would be discontinued.
Caprara, one of the councilors who voted against the new funding, said adding money to one of the town’s departments after making cuts could be unfair to the other departments.
“The (library) programs that are offered — not to say they are not worth it, but we asked departments for cuts. It was not appropriate to open the budget up again,” said Caprara.
Caprara said she was not pleased with the increase in the budget from the current year. The municipal budget for the upcoming fiscal year that begins July 1 is $11,250,763, an approximately 5% increase from the current year’s budget of $10,556,841.
This follows the approximately 9% budget increase the previous year.
“Inflation is high, plus the expenses are high. People just can’t afford high taxes,” said Caprara.
There will be a referendum on the $12.8 million school budget on June 13.
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