BARRHEAD - The Barrhead Public Library will receive a bump in its contribution from the town for its 2025 budget.
But the question is, will the County of Barrhead council reciprocate, and if, or more likely when the library board returns and asks the municipality to bump up their contribution, will councillors be receptive?
The library is expected to make a similar presentation to the County of Barrhead council on Nov. 5.
Town of Barrhead councillors approved the library's proposed 2025 budget with a per capita increase of $1.25 at their Oct. 22 meeting, following a 25-minute presentation from library director Elaine Dickie and library board chair Jane Kusal. The increase of roughly three per cent brings the municipality's per capita contribution to $24.00 or $103,680 based on the town's population of 4,320 based on the 2021 census.
It is the fourth time the library has asked the municipalities to increase their contribution in as many years.
Other primary revenue sources for the library include the County of Barrhead's projected contribution of $141,048, based on the county's population of 5,877 from the 2021 census, the provincial funding of $69,855, based on 5.60 per capita combined town and county population, and a $9,000 operational grant. The library also receives $29,250 from Pembina Hills School Division (PHSD) for its services to Barrhead Elementary School students. This is in addition to the free rent it receives from the school division.
On the expense side, salaries at $288,451 are the most significant expenditure in the library's proposed $412,451 budget.
Dickie said although they are asking the municipalities for a slight increase, the library's budget is mainly remaining static.
"We are not really increasing any area of the budget except for salaries, in which all staff will receive a three per cent [cost of living adjustment]," she said.
Dickie added the other reason why the library is allocating more money for salaries is that the board has decided to is to restore the director's position to full-time.
Several months ago, in part to help balance the budget, Dickie reduced her workload to four days a week, or 0.8 full-time equivalent (FTE) hours.
"It was a good idea until it wasn't. There is a lot to do in those four days", she said.
Dickie also noted that in late September, she announced her pending retirement, slated for the end of 2024. However, she is committed to staying on until her replacement is in place.
Related link: Barrhead Library director announces retirement
"To be able to get the calibre of person we need for the library's director, we need to offer a full-time position," she said.
Even then, Dickie said, it could be challenging to find the right candidate, adding the Barrhead Library is not the "standard library."
"It is a lot more complicated," she said. "We are an inter-municipal library housed in a school, so we have to deal with [PHSD] and [as a result] have an English and French collection ... And we do more than our share of programs to meet the need of our users, which in larger communities would be provided by other agencies."
To get the person who can successfully manage those complications, Dickie suggested the library may have to open the purse strings to get the right candidate.
She said the library will need to dip into its reserves for the remainder of 2024 and a portion of 2025 to pay for the increase in hours.
But depending on the salary expectations of the new library director, Dickie said, the board may have to come back to the municipalities and ask for more funds.
She added that this is the most probable scenario, as her current salary ranks in the lower tier for directors of similarly-sized communities.
Dickie said what she doesn't want to happen is that the library hires the wrong candidate, who ends up quitting in frustration in short order when they realize they cannot do the job, adding it is better to get the right person right away.
Kusal interjected that Yellowhead Regional Library (YRL) director Karla Palichuk has agreed to help in the search for Dickie's replacement.
Coun. Ty Assaf asked if the library board has considered using a recruiting agency, such as the municipality used, when searching for its CAO.
"As much as one might want to save money and do it themselves, to find the right person promptly, it is often well worth the cost," he said.
Kusal replied that they hadn't ruled out the possibility, but they were confident that with the YRL's help, they would find the right candidate.
Coun. Dave Sawatzky asked if the library had approached PHSD and asked that they increase their contribution.
"Do you have any control over getting more money from the school division? You are asking the municipalities for more, but I see [year after year] the school pays as little as possible."
Dickie said the library has very little sway with PHSD, adding at one time, she negotiated directly with the Barrhead Elementary School principal, but in recent years, her only contact has been with the PHSD secretary/treasurer.
"I have made an appointment with her to talk about the possibility, so there is some faint hope that maybe they will give us more," she said.
Barry Kerton, TownandCountryToday.com