PCPL budget for 2024 set

Increases in some areas compared to this year are to temper the Putnam County Public Library’s budget for 2024, which was recently approved by its board of trustees.

The budget overall will see a four-percent increase compared to 2023 at $1,281,070, the previous being at about $1.230 million. Of this, the library has figured in a 3.5-percent increase for all staff for cost of living. Meanwhile, a 10-percent increase in health care costs is projected.

The major amendment to the line items is professional services, previously a catch-all category of sorts, being broken out. Lines for financial, administrative and technology services, as well as grounds and maintenance, are meant to reflect expenditures as such.

To that, building and grounds needs are set at $41,000, financial services at $6,500, administrative services at $2,000 and technology services at $4,500.

With the cost-of-living increase and group insurance increasing an estimated 10 percent over this year, the minimum hourly rate for shelvers has increased to $10 per hour. Meanwhile, the base increase for part-time library assistants is to increase to $13.

The major perennial line-item decrease for 2024 will be for furniture and equipment (which includes computers) from $38,951 to $29,267. A separate line item for state library services (e.g., InfoExpress and Evergreen) is set at $10,000.

Though not as large, other increases will include E-book services and general building repairs.

To round out the report, the library’s rainy day fund will remain at $50,000. The Putnam County Council, though, approved $125,000 in additional appropriations geared toward major repairs to the library’s roof.

The board held a public hearing on the budget at its regular meeting last month. No changes were made to it between then and its approval.

While the library sets its own budgets, they are approved by the county council as the authority that oversees its needs as a county-encompassing entity.