Tina Scott, Prendergast executive director, noted that the hope is to maintain “a strong library.”

Library board of trustees and employees hosted a “community conversation” regarding recent budgetary developments. The board approved a 259 referendum at its Oct. 17 meeting that will be held in conjunction with the Jamestown Public Schools District budget vote in the spring. However, the vote and the subsequent library tax, if approved, will be separate from the school budget.

The announcement came after the board of trustees submitted an open letter to The Post-Journal citing reductions of city funding as cause for closing its doors within four years.

Wednesday’s public forum served as one of two sessions where library officials and trustees can listen to comments from community members about Prendergast’s current financial status. The second will be held today at 6:30 p.m. inside the library. Scott noted that organizing the meetings was an attempt to “clear up misinformation.”

Trustees approved a 259 vote for next spring that, if approved, would place the library tax next to the Jamestown Public Schools budget vote as a separate referendum.

Scott said that Prendergast ranks 9,034 out of 9,211 among libraries nationally based on local tax support. In the Chautauqua Cattaraugus Library System (CCLS), comprised of 38 libraries, Prendergast is the lowest funded organization.

Because the city has cut the library’s funding by more than 5% within in two years, technically, the library has failed to meet the state Education Department’s required “maintenance of effort.” Such failure typically results in a reduction of state aid and, in this case, Prendergast’s removal of its co-central library status within the CCLS system.

The majority of people who spoke at Wednesday’s session were vocally supportive of the library. Of those, most were in favor of the 259 vote.

One non-Jamestown resident, Maria Burkholder, who uses the library frequently for her home-schooled children, described the library as “a blessing.”

This particular county resident praised her family’s weekly visit to the library and its positive impact on herself and her children. She also questioned what the impact would be if one day Prendergast was gone.

“I look around and I have seen so many kids that come and use the computer bank that don’t seem to have any parents with them,” she added.

“It makes me wonder where these children would be if they didn’t have this place to go.”

Steve Seymour, a Jamestown resident, added that library employees have continuously provided “so much to so many with so few” in terms of services. While announcing his support for increased Prendergast funding, he offered suggestions, as many did, to officials on how to gain more support going forward.

Others raised concerns about the financial implications of the library tax if the spring vote is approved.

Library officials noted that what they are asking for is the previous financial amount residents have already been paying through city taxes. However, the library has simply been reduced in funding by the city, Scott added.

The 259 vote, asking for an annual tax levy of $350,000, will be a separate referendum to the JPS 2020-21 proposed school budget vote. The library’s taxes do not impact any proposals made by the school district.

The library’s 259 vote proposal would increase its tax from 3 cents per $1,000 to 23 cents per $1,000 assessed property value, library officials said.

Scott explained that the move is an attempt by the board to regain funding that has been reduced in recent years.

The city previously funded the local library a total of $350,000 in 2016. In 2017, the library’s budget was cut to $100,000, or 71% of its previous funding. In 2018, the budget was again cut to $50,000, or 50% of its previous budget.

Scott and Joni Blackman, board president, maintained hope Wednesday that a 259 vote approval can return the library’s budget to what it was before reductions were made. A potential increase of $300,000 would potentially preserve state aid, Scott added.

Library officials noted that state funding would be reduced by 25% in 2019 and the total $111,000 of funding would be completely eliminated in 2020.

Scott said that if the 259 vote was approved, the tax levy would remain the same annually. Any increases would need community approval.

Recently, Mayor Sam Teresi proposed his executive budget that included a 20% increase to library funding. Approval of Teresi’s budget would increase funding to $60,000. However, Scott said that increase, while appreciated, would not impact the estimated state aid reductions due to how severely the library’s funding was initially cut.

Attempts to remove the library’s funding from the city’s budget were unsuccessful in 2005 and 2016. The Southwestern Central School District approved its own library tax in 2018 that included budgets for the Hazeltine Public Library and the Lakewood Memorial Library.

Andrew Liuzzo, city councilman and Libertarian mayoral candidate, added during the meeting that library officials need to focus on marketing this time around.

Library officials emphasized that in order to preserve Prendergast’s state aid supplements, tax support funding needs to be returned to $350,000.

“We need the community’s help in getting the word out about what the library is facing,” Scott said Wednesday.