By Kirk Ross
Staff Writer
Chapel Hill — A simmering dispute over library funding could be heading toward a resolution, with county officials agreeing to pick up a greater share of the town’s library costs.
Chapel Hill Town Council members Sally Greene and Gene Pease have been in discussions with commissioners Mike Nelson and Barry Jacobs to try to find a long-term solution on how to pay for library services. The four met last week along with other town and county officials to look over an array of ideas toward bridging the divide.
Town officials contend that the county’s contribution has not kept up with rising costs. The council opened new discussions with the county on funding after agreeing in late March to delay a vote on $16 million in bonds for library expansion until its May 24 meeting. The bonds were approved by voters in November 2003.
Town Manager Roger Stancil has suggested that the council could delay the bond vote without affecting the timetable of the proposed project. During budget discussions last year, the council decided not to go ahead with the expansion, citing uncertainties about the economy and the municipal bond market. Stancil has said that this year the town could absorb the debt service on the bonds without a tax increase, but that once built, additional staffing and costs would require more funds and could impact the tax rate.
The county contributes $250,000 annually to help cover library operating expenses, an amount that hasn’t changed since 1995. Library officials estimate that patrons from outside Chapel Hill account for about 40 percent of the library’s circulation.
Greene, who strongly supported going ahead with approval of the bonds, said she still feels that the expansion should go forward.
“I think the case for a library expansion has been made,†Greene said. She said the talks are moving in the right direction with the county agreeing that the town is due an increase and both sides interested in a memorandum of understanding on how funding levels will be established going forward.
Greene said that considering the county’s budget constraints, the council is not expecting a major jump in this funding this year. County officials estimate this year’s budget shortfall to be between $3 million and $4 million.
County Commissioner Barry Jacobs said he and Nelson have developed proposals for increasing the contribution, ranging from $700,000 over four years to $1 million over five years.
Increases, Jacobs said, need to go to both the town and the county library systems.
“I just don’t want [the increase to Chapel Hill] to come at the expense of the county system,†he said.
Another idea for increasing library services in southern Orange County would be to convert the county’s workforce-development center on West Franklin Street into a new branch serving the downtown communities and southwest Orange.
Jacobs said he sees a lot of advantages to using the building, which is already owned by the county, is on a public transit line and has ample parking.
“It’s a terrific opportunity to increase library services,†he said.
Greene said adding a branch downtown is an interesting idea, but wants to make sure that an agreement on increasing funding is nailed down separately.
Both Jacobs and Greene said that a new funding plan could be drafted that would take into consideration the impact of any new branch on the Chapel Hill Public Library.
Greene said any adjustment would have to be based on hard numbers showing a drop in Carrboro and other county residents’ use of the Estes Drive location.
Jacobs said the negotiations would continue after County Manager Frank Clifton presents his budget proposal on May 18.