The roof’s leaky, the cornice is crumbling, everything’s getting more expensive and aid is flat — oh, and someone helped themselves to plantings from the flower bed.

Welcome to the challenges faced by Dunkirk Public Library Director Jason Hammond.

On Tuesday, after a meeting of the library board, Hammond said the institution at Central Avenue and Fifth Street is facing a financial shortfall. However, he said budget transfers from unused lines are helping solve the problem for now. The board did a transfer Tuesday, reapportioning $3,058 meant for computer and community outreach programs in 2020 that didn’t happen because of COVID-19.

Board President Marcie Lukach, in her final financial report before leaving the board, stated during the meeting that “nothing is out of the ordinary.” She said “some accounts were over the budget and some we didn’t use.”

Hammond cited many reasons for financial challenges: the shutdown due to COVID-19, upkeep of an aging building, rising insurance and utility costs, an increase in the state minimum wage and no raises in government funding since 2015.

He addressed rumors that the library’s deficit is tens of thousands of dollars and that staff was cut. Hammond said they were doing budget transfers of unused funds, including the one at the meeting, to help make up a deficit that he acknowledged might be close to $30,000 if the transfers weren’t done.

Hammond said no staff was ever cut — which made their finances tougher. The library paid its clerks throughout the pandemic, even when the building was closed and the workers were home bound. However, because it is considered a public entity as it receives funding from the Dunkirk school district, the library can’t get any sort of COVID-19 related small business funding.

“Now we’re short going into next year,” Hammond said.

In response, the library is now open 36 hours a week, down from 54 hours normally. It has shortened hours on Fridays and closed for weekends. Hammond said he thinks he will be able to bring Saturday hours back in September, and make other adjustments down the road to get back to 54 hours a week.

The director, in his job since 2019, also has had other, non-financial issues on his plate recently. The roof leaked after a heavy rain a couple weeks ago, but he told the board roofers patched up the leaks. The cornice over the front entrance is cracked but has been stabilized by stone workers.

Then, there was the couple that apparently wanted to make a bouquet. In a light-hearted moment, Hammond told the board that on Thursday, a man parked his vehicle and a woman got out and started picking flowers at the Adams across Fifth Street, then crossed the road and helped herself to the library’s flower bed.

Despite the challenges big and small, Hammond had some positive things to mention. He said installation of air conditioners, to alleviate steamy summer conditions in the library hall, is underway. He also told the OBSERVER that a large art installation is coming to the lawn this summer, with more details to come.

The library is also deactivating its COVID-19 safety plan, after a unanimous vote of the board.

The board formalized the election of two members Tuesday. Sara Marsowicz was re-elected and Susan Nickle will fill the seat vacated by Lukach, who said she’s leaving the board to spend more time with her children. The board seats have three-year terms.