Commissioners to consider funds

The library is asking the city to double the size of its annual contribution.
HERMITAGE, Pa. -- City commissioners aren't making any promises, but they said they will look at increasing funding to the Shenango Valley Community Library in the 2005 budget.
Representatives of the library, located in Sharon, spoke at a commissioners workshop Thursday, asking that the city boost its 2005 contribution to $100,000.
Commissioners asked questions about revenues and other items in the library budget but made no commitment other than saying they will examine the request. The city's annual gift to the library has been at $50,000 the past several years.
Library budget
Karen Spak, library director, pointed out that Hermitage residents account for 40 percent of the use of library facilities, but the city contributes 10 percent of the annual library budget.
Sharon was the sole municipal supporter of the library until 1993 when Hermitage commissioners agreed to begin providing direct financial support, starting at $10,000 that year.
Spak said Hermitage was to raise that amount each year until it reached half of what Sharon was giving.
Sharon's direct contribution has passed the $230,000 mark, but Hermitage stopped its increases at $50,000 four years ago, Spak said.
No other municipalities make a direct contribution to the library, she said.
Gary Hinkson, city manager, told The Vindicator in August that, although commissioners passed a resolution in 1996 agreeing to increase annual support to 50 percent of the Sharon mark, those terms weren't included in the formal agreement later signed with the library.
Hermitage has made contributions to special library projects, including $23,000 for a building access improvement project in 2000 and $4,600 for equipment purchases in 1997, he said.