County to reconsider funding for libraries

By Valorie Brecht

After a lengthy meeting last Wednesday morning, the Clark County finance committee settled on new reimbursement rates for Clark County libraries that will prevent several county libraries from experiencing as dramatic a reduction in their budget from 2024 to 2025.

Libraries receive aid based on the cost per circulation, which is determined by taking the total operating expenditures for a library and dividing by the total number of items circulated in a calendar year. The state funding formula requires that counties reimburse libraries at 70 percent of circulation costs for items checked out by township users in Clark County. The state does not mandate counties reimburse libraries for out-of-county circulations.

In September, the county finance committee had proposed reimbursing Clark County circulations at 90 percent and Marathon County circulations at 25 percent for the upcoming budget year. That is a change from rates of 85 percent for Clark and 70 percent for Marathon in 2024.

The 90/25 formula would have resulted in

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four libraries taking a hit in 2025, with those serving a high number of Marathon County circulations the most affected. Abbotsford, Colby, Dorchester and Granton would all be receiving less money than in 2024, with $17,681 less for Abbotsford, $13,812 less for Colby, $15,711 less for Dorchester and $3,143 less for Granton.

Several local librarians spoke at the last county board meeting as well as last Wednesday’s finance committee meeting to advocate for greater funding and ask the county to keep things more equitable across all 10 county libraries.

After much discussion, the committee settled on 85 percent reimbursement for Clark County circulations and 45 percent reimbursement for Marathon County circulations. These reimbursement rates would still result in a budget shortfall for some libraries, although not as great as the previous proposal. Abbotsford would receive $11,142 less in 2025 than in 2024, Colby would actually gain $4,947, Dorchester would receive $10,954 less and Granton would receive $4,152 less. Owen would also experience a loss under this proposal, of $884.

Overall, the county would be spending nearly the same amount on libraries in 2025 as in 2024, with a difference of $25.52 between the two budget years (2025 being less). The 85/45 proposal results in the county spending $13,167 more than the 90/25 proposal.

Chuck Rueth, who chairs the finance committee, felt the 85/45 proposal was a decent solution.

“Us on the finance committee represent all the libraries, not just some of them. We tried to do what was in the best interest for all the libraries,” he said. “The committee felt that this was more fair. When we stated the discussion, we didn’t know where it was going to go, but when it was all said and done, it was a 25-dollar difference from last year… We are very pleased and very happy with how we got it.”

Rueth added though that he felt the process could be improved, as of right now the library committee only meets once a year and they are not the ones who recommend a library budget; it’s the executive committee. Then whatever the executive committee recommends goes before the finance committee. He would like to see the library committee more involved.

“We do need to restructure our library committee for next year’s budget, because I don’t want be waiting until the eighth or ninth month of the year to figure some of this stuff out,” he said.

Although the 85/45 proposal was unanimously approved by the finance committee, it is not a done deal. One of the county board members will have to propose an amendment to that effect at the Nov. 7 county budget meeting, which will then have to be approved by the entire county board. County board members are also free to propose a different funding proposal. The meeting will be at 7 p.m. at the county courthouse, in the county boardroom. It is open to the public.