To the Editor:

In April’s budget the Legislative Council held the taxpayer contribution to the Library flat in recognition of their substantial fund balance (over $800K) and the fact that they received a large amount of Payment Protection Plan funds ($172,600) despite no interruption in revenue from the taxpayers.

I made clear at the time that this was not a reduction to the Library budget; their spending is their purview, only that in a year with record inflation and increasing car tax bills, when local families are struggling, that we should not ask the taxpayers to contribute more to an agency that has such a large surplus and received PPP funding despite no interruption in Town resources.

It is important to understand that in Newtown the Library is an independent nonprofit, not a Town Department, yet the taxpayers cover around 85% of its operating costs and also pay for large capital expenses to maintain the building (which are conflated in last week’s Newtown Bee article.)

It has been the practice of past LCs to not ask the taxpayers for more funding for groups with large fund balances (Edmond Town Hall, school theater program, lake authorities, Parks and Rec) until those fund balances are spent down. The Library has grown its fund balance for several years now.

The confusion about the fund balance referenced in the article seems to be the Library’s, based on their presentations to the LC. During this process the LC received multiple different explanations (which are on the record) including that the past First Selectman encouraged the Library to have some money for unexpected emergencies, like when the sprinklers broke, that much of it was undesignated, then that it was actually designated based on donor intent, and also for possible capital uses.

It all seemed very fluid. This is where their not being a part of the Town creates a lack of clarity that does not exist with groups like Park and Rec or The Community Center.

The Library facility is on the Capital Improvement Plan (CIP). Their roof is being fixed and one of their members, David Schill, a professional engineer, did yeoman’s work researching and finding the best path forward to address it. Other building improvements are also on the CIP where they are weighed against other local needs such as school maintenance. These capital items are not funded by the operating budget which was held flat, but rather that money is separate to what the Town gives the Library.

I am disappointed this action from back in March and April is now being misrepresented with incomplete facts, and I question what the intent is in bringing this story to The Bee. I wish someone from the LC would have been asked to comment, but am thankful The Bee responded quickly to my reaching out when I first saw the article.

My comments are my own as an individual and not on behalf of the LC of which I am a member.

Ryan Knapp

Sandy Hook

Editor’s Note: A number of amendments were made to the feature that appeared in last week’s edition that is now online at newtownbee.com (“Town Funding Freeze Causing Concerns For C.H. Booth Library”). A clarification is also published in today’s print edition addressing missing story details, and the issue is further addressed in today’s edition in the Editorial Ink Drops.