City Reaches Agreement With FFGRD On Library Fees

By 250 News

After taking over negotiations from the Library’s Board of Directors, the City has reached a deal that will see the Fraser-Fort George Regional District move towards paying it’s ’fair share’ for library services.

The Prince George Public Library has a service agreement with the electoral areas - the deal sees the Regional District provide an annual grant to the library, so residents living in rural areas don't have to pay for their library cards.

But with rural useage way above what the district is paying for, the Library Board attempted to secure a substantial increase in funding from the FFGRD last year.  In the end, the City stepped in to take over negotiations on the library's behalf.  Mayor Colin Kinsley says the volunteers on the Library Board should not have had to deal with negotiating a service agreement.

Kinsley says simply put, if Regional District useage is 11-percent of overall useage at the library, then the district should be paying 11-percent of its $3.3-million dollar budget or $330-thousand dollars.  Last year, the FFGRD grant to the library was $150-thousand dollars.  The Mayor admits the spread between the two numbers is great, but says the City is working to close the gap over time.

The City's Manager, Derek Bates, says a proposed contract that would see the subsidy rise to $175-thousand dollars this year, and $200-thousand dollars next has been supported by the Regional District board.  The arrangement will soon come before city council for approval.

Email | Print | Facebook | Twitter | Digg | Del.icio.us