Posted: 11/28/06
SELCO concerned about library funding
By David Heiller
Argus News Editor
Library funding needs a boost from the state, SELCO director Ann Hutton told Houston County commissioners at their November 21 meeting.
SELCO, which is based in Rochester, stands for Southeastern Libraries Cooperating.
She asked the board to pass a resolution supporting an increase in regional library system funding.
The board unanimously did so. It requests legislators and the governor to place a high priority on a substantial increase in the regional library appropriations during the 2007 legislative session.
Commissioner Larry Graf said it would be nice if the legislature could adjust library funding on a yearly basis. ìBut they keep cutting out funding and they keep demanding more,î he said.
Hutton said there is some movement for support for more funding from the legislature, and thatís why county help is important. Taking money from different sources isnít the answer, she said ñ it needs to be new money.
Commissioner Ann Thompson asked what the library is losing now. Hutton answered that summer reading programs used to be free and no longer are. Libraries are being charged for technical help, and services that are technology-based have fees now. ìI have a long list,î she said.
Two SELCO board members appeared with her but did not speak, Pam Griffith and Lynn Bissen. Librarians from other county libraries also were in the audience. The group is going to all 11 counties in SELCO with the resolutions.
Hutton also mentioned that SELCO contracts with Fillmore and Houston Counties expire in 2007. She said the boards should consider a joint meeting to resolve the boundary issues that have been raised in the past. Some northern Houston County patrons use the Rushford library, while some southeastern Fillmore County patrons use the Spring Grove library, Hutton said. She thinks the usage probably balances out, but librarians need to look at the numbers.
Personnel business
The board approved three personnel items at the meeting. They added David Benson as needed as a dropsite supervisor, and changed the status of information systems co-supervisor Andrew Milde from probationary to regular.
The board also also approved a review of all the human services positions. It contained three merit classification changes and three comparable worth rating changes.
Other business
ï CJC contracts: In the meeting reports portion at the end of the meeting, chairman Kevin Kelleher said he and Thompson had met with attorney Dave Hammergren on November 20 regarding contracts with contractors for the proposed criminal justice center. He said they are close to bringing something to the board on this.
ï ìA bunch of goons:î Kelleher also talked about being visited at his home by a group of citizens who had concerns about county zoning rules. He called them ìa bunch of goonsî and said it was totally inappropriate and an attempt at intimidation. ìTheyíve been given way too much encouragement and thatís what theyíre doing,î Kelleher said.
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