Date: Fri 07-Mar-1997

Publication: Bee

Author: STEVEB

Quick Words:

council-Booth-Library-budget

Full Text:

Council Restores Funds For Library Operation

B Y S TEVE B IGHAM

Friends of the Library are breathing a sigh of relief this week. On Tuesday,

the Legislative Council agreed to restore the $66,000 that library officials

had requested in their budget to help cover the costs of running the library's

22,000-square-foot addition.

Supporters of the library, some in tears, showed up at the middle school

library in full force earlier this week to plead their case. When they were

finished, the council promptly voted, 6-4, to give them what they wanted. Some

members said they were "touched" by what they heard from the speakers.

Council members Jack Rosenthal, Lisa Schwartz, Bill Brimmer, John Kortze,

Melissa Pilchard and Pierre Rochman voted in favor of the increase, while Joe

Borst, Win Ballard, Karen Blawie and Joe McGowan voted against it.

"I am very, very pleased. I'm extremely excited," said Janet Woycik, the

library's director, Wednesday. "We can now keep the number of hours we're open

the same, and we'll be able to buy books and materials for next year."

Last month, the Board of Selectmen denied the library's requested $66,000

increase, saying the town could not support the figure this year. The

council's administrative subcommittee made a compromise two weeks ago, giving

the library $33,000, about half of what the library's Board of Trustees said

it needed in order to continue its evening hours.

But when it was all said and done Tuesday, the council gave the library what

it wanted, a total of $371,057. The final figure was $1,400 under the

library's original request, as the 3 percent raises it asked for were

decreased voluntarily by the library to 2.8 percent.

Prior to the council's vote, library board of trustees member Gordon Williams

reminded the council of how hard the library works each year to support

itself, pointing out that it raises more money on its own than any other

library in the area.

"When we come to you, it's not cap in hand. We really work hard to earn as

much as we can so that we come to you asking for as little as possible," he

said.

Connie Duquette of Currituck Road wept openly as she pleaded for the money to

be restored. She told of how her two Fresh Air children from New York City

learned to read at the library.

Library board of trustees member Kevin Tepas of Dug Hill Road pointed out that

the Cyrenius Booth Library ranks well below the state average in annual costs

to the town.

"Please, put back the money to run the library as the town asked us to do when

it voted for the library addition," he said.

Mr Tepas said if the money is not restored, the library will have to either

reduce hours or buy no new books.

"I don't think those are the choices that the people of Newtown want," he

said.

Board of trustees member Jim Larin pointed out that the library generates

about 40 percent of the money needed to run the building on its own through

the help of its staff and volunteers.

"We need your help," said Marian Wood, president of the Friends of the

Library. "We need a fully operating library."

Walter Murphy, age six, told the council that the library was one of his

favorite places to go. He was worried that the new library would have

difficulty staying open without the extra funds.

Joanne Zang, who started the library's Labor Day book sale two decades ago,

told the council that the additional $33,000 will go a long way toward making

the new library an effective resource for residents.

"The library is an important part of the quality of life in Newtown," said

Dick Sturdevant.

While architect Bruce Tuthill has stated that the library addition will be

completed by June 1, Mrs Woycik said the old section of the library will take

a bit longer to finish. She's hoping for a grand re-opening in mid July.