by Kristina Gabalski
Brockport Village Trustees have unanimously approved a 2.5 percent increase in the village’s contribution for the 2013 Seymour Library Budget.
Library Director Andrea Tillinghast had requested a 4 percent increase in support which would have equated to $7,377.64. Trustees estimated the approved increase would equate to about $4,600 over the current year’s contribution.
Mayor Connie Castaneda proposed a 3 percent increase, but when there was no second to her motion, Trustee Margaret Blackman proposed the 2.5 percent increase.
Trustee Kent Blair said the increase is “what we feel we can afford.”
Castaneda reminded trustees that the village typically sets the percent increase which is then followed by the Towns of Sweden and Clarkson both of which are also served by the library. She reported the Town of Sweden had included a 4 percent increase in their budget, Trustee Bill Andrews reported the Town of Clarkson was continuing to discuss the amount of the increase to be included in their budget.
The mayor noted the library has been asking the village for larger increases for years. “It’s discouraging that this board would vote two-and-a-half percent to an organization that greatly benefits the community,” she said.
In a letter to the mayor dated July 30, 2012, Tillinghast stated the library is losing revenue due to decreasing interest income and loss of income in fine payments. “Personnel costs have increased, now that we are fully staffed, and we have budgeted for normal increases in operating the facility and purchasing books and materials,” she wrote.
In other business, the board voted unanimously to submit an application for an Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor Grant for canal front beautification.
The funds would be used to revitalize the garden on the north side of the canal between Main Street and Park Avenue.
During her report, Trustee Margaret Blackman reported on her continuing efforts to bring a new grocery store to the former Ryan’s Big M location in the village. Blackman said she has discussed utilizing the help of student interns from The College at Brockport’s School of Business with officials from Ellicott Development and Dan Petree, the Dean of the School of Business. She said officials would, “like to get another supermarket in there and possibly another business.” The interns would be involved in the work of finding a new tenant or tenants, Trustee Blackman said.
