Library Board Discusses Apparent Overpayment From City

Fairhope, Alabama 

 Edited for clarity.

Fairhope library board.

 

DELEGATION TO MEET WITH CITY

The city's library board met last week to discus library finances and what to do with an apparent $71K overpayment that was received from the city last year; also the proper dispensation of other in-house revenue the library gets from things like late book return fees/fines,  copying machine charges, meeting room rental charges, et. al.  

The total amount in question is about $140K, according to director Dean.

Members Stankoski, Wright, and library director Dean were selected to meet with the mayor, city treasurer, and council members to address the matter. Depending on their discussions, the library may have to pay back all or some of the funds in question, or just forgo some future payments from the city until the discrepancies are neutralized. 

Library operations/staff are not a part of the city. They are governed by the autonomous Library Board instead, according to state law.  The building itself is owned by the city, however.

The library received $927K (actual amount) from the city last year (FY 19-20) for operational costs, in installments, according to data provided by the board. It receives some additional income from grants, miscellaneous donations, and the Friends of the Library charitable organization.

Building maintenance cost are the city's responsibility.

(The library has received $277K so far this fiscal year from the city, according to data provided by the board.)

 

PAY RAISE APPROVED TOO

The board also approved a 2%, one-time pay raise for all library employees. The cost of about $14K will be provided from the library's cash balance account.

City employees received the same amount when their budget was passed last month. 

Martin Lanaux is current library board chairman.

Library's FY 2020-21 budget.