Base Budget Approved For PG Library

By 250 News

file photo of MLA Shirley Bond taking part in Family Literacy Day at the library

What the Prince George Public Library sees as part of its core budget for 2007, the City sees as a service enhancement...

As a result, City Councillors have approved a base budget for the library of $3.0-million dollars for the coming year, but have deferred a request for an additional $328-thousand dollars to the final budget meeting on February 28th to be considered with all other service enhancements.

The amount approved this evening is in keeping with the City’s objective of maintaining services at last year’s levels by just approving an increase consistent with the rate of inflation: 2.4-percent.

Of the $328-thousand that’s been deferred to February 28th, the Regional District of Fraser-Fort George has committed to paying $175-thousand dollars of that, as part of useage agreement that allows rural residents to use the library without having to pay for their library cards.

The remaining $153-thousand dollars is what Councillors are expected to debate at that final budget meeting.  Library Board Chair, Philip Mantler, says that increase is the result of three factors:

• the renewal of licences for the library’s automated systems
• increases in staff salaries and benefits, including $48-thousand dollars in new hours
• the removal of $50-thousand dollars in fundraising from the operational budget

The library’s total operating budget for 2007 is $3.7-million dollar, up from $3.62-million last year...other revenue sources are a provincial government grant and library fines.

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