After years of operating and offering community programming with declining revenue, the Mancos Library District will ask voters in the spring to support an additional 1.5 mills to buoy the entity’s finances as it grapples with ballooning loan payments.
The Mancos Library District, which operates the Mancos Public Library, is currently funded by 6 mills and specific ownership revenue, which trickles down from the county to the Library District via things like marriage licenses and vehicle registrations.
Mancos Public Library director Lee Hallberg explained to the Mancos Board of Trustees last week that those funding sources are shrinking, as actual revenues are shaping up to be far less than what has been projected. Unless something is done to offset the fiscal declines, programs and services will have to be scaled back.
In addition to its position as a hub for community education an literacy, the Mancos Public Library also offers a litany of free programs and installments for area kids like “Science Friday” and “Outdoor Adventures” which provide a constructive, learning-based place for kids to go when school isn’t in session. For adults, the library offers programs like language classes for Spanish speakers and computer classes and legal clinics and more.
“Our increase in youth programming over the years has brought to our attention the need for after-school snacks for many of the children in our community, so we offer snacks at our after school and teen programs to meet this need,” said Hallberg.
Voters approved a mill levy increase in 2005 to fund operations of a larger library, which was built in 2009. Two loans were taken out on the LEED Gold certified building, and the District currently pays $120,000 in payments annually. Hallberg says the payments spike about $5,000 every year and refinancing isn’t available without penalty until 2017.
“When the building was built, we did a projection of revenues with the county which projected an increase. The library was built in 2009, right at the downturn of the economy but we didn’t start to feel it until 2013,” Hallberg said. “Since 2013, the decline has been pretty drastic. We’re anticipating a $10,000 drop over the next two years.”
According to figures from Mancos Public Library, 2014 revenue was projected to be $316,224 and actual revenue collected was $282,820. The specific ownership revenue saw an even sharper contrast between projected and collected revenue in 2014 – $41,513 compared with the $23,937 collected.
The library has made pretty drastic cuts over the years, Hallberg says, eliminating the Renaissance Fair, keeping wages stagnant and cutting supplies and expenses.
“Our book budget was slashed by $4,000. We are about $8,000 below what the state library recommends for a library of our size,” he said.
The entity has also brought on a grant writer to help identify other avenues for funding, but since very few grants cover operating expenses, the annual shortfall still looms.
The mill levy election will be open to residents in the library district, which is essentially the same district as Mancos Schools.
For community members looking to help the library in the interim, monetary donations to support existing programs and services are most helpful. Hallberg notes that donations to the library are tax deductible. Donations of books, especially any new releases, gently used computers and other technology, volunteer time or other in-kind donations are all greatly appreciated.
For more information on the 2016 mill levy campaign, contact library director Lee Hallberg at 533-7600.