The Pierce County Library Board held its regular quarterly meeting as a called meeting Tuesday, May 26. The regular meeting was delayed from April 21 due to a lack of quorum.
• Budget for 2027: Board members approved a proposed budget of $101,214.49 for the Pierce County Library for 2027. The budget will still need regional board approval. Three Rivers Regional Library System (TRRLS) Director Jeremy Snell reviewed the proposal with board members. The proposed budget anticipates $93,364.49 in government revenues and $7,850 in non-tax revenues. The government revenue is dependent on the passage of a requested 10 percent increase in funding from the Pierce County Commission. Personnel expenses total $64,084 and include a 2.5 percent pay increase for each team member and covers staterequired increases for the retirement plan and employer health insurance premiums. The budget includes 44 percent of the total expenses for the local manager’s position, with the remaining 56 percent funded by a state salaries grant. This is an increase in the local share over last year’s split of 33 percent local and 67 percent by the state. Pierce County Library will pay $10,424 in regional fees under the proposed budget. Pierce will be allocated $11,342.65 in state funds for material purchases. This represents 11.58% of the total state materials grant dispersed to TRRLS’s 10 libraries.
• Budget Amendment for 2026: The board approved a budget amendment for May for a $500 increase in the fines and fees allocation in the budget due to increased revenue projections on that line item. The increased revenue was allocated to cover the cost of the annual copier contract on the expenditure side.
• Financial report: The library was showing income of $80,508.05 and expenses of $66,331.93 through March 31.
Doll house in children’s section: A motion was made by Board Member Lana Blankenship to offer the doll house in the children’s section of the library to the original donating family and to allow them to reclaim it if they desire. If they do not wish to reacquire it, the board will consider additional options at its July meeting.
Public comments: There were no public comments at the meeting.
Next meeting: The next regional library board meeting will be held at 4 p.m. Tuesday, July 21, at the Pierce County Library.
Attendance: Members present were Chairman Austin Burgess, Mandy Williams, Blankenship and Dawn Thompson. Library Manager Kaitlyn Vernon and TRRLS Director Jeremy Snell were also present.
Trustees absent were Jacqueline Alderman-Moses, Jimmy Thrift and Malayna Wetherington.
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