Officials regroup to look at options

The library levy went down to defeat by 1,775 votes.
By PETER H. MILLIKEN
VINDICATOR STAFF WRITER
WARREN -- Cuts in service and another levy attempt next year are being explored by library officials in the wake of Tuesday's defeat of a 1-mill continuing levy.
"We've kicked a lot of things around: doing away with bookmobile service; perhaps making the branches open three days a week, instead of six days a week," Robert D. Briell, director of the Warren-Trumbull County Public Library, told library trustees Thursday. Such cuts in branch hours would result in staff cuts, he said.
"About 65 percent of our budget is personnel related so, if you want to save money, that's where it is," Briell told the board.
"We can't keep cutting our materials budget," he added. The library system, which once spent $1.2 million a year on materials acquisition, has cut that to $500,000 a year.
So far, "We've pretty much cut everything we can without cutting hours and cutting staff," Briell observed.
The 1-mill additional levy lost by 1,775 votes. With 22,920 votes against it and 21,145 votes for it, the levy was defeated by a 52 percent to 48 percent margin.
The library system sought the levy, which would have generated $2.2 million new dollars a year, to make up for reductions in state funding. The system has its main library in Warren and branches in Brookfield, Cortland, Howland, Liberty and Lordstown.
Could try again in May
Briell said the library system could make another levy attempt in the May primary, but he said he didn't think the system would make a third attempt to pass a levy. The levy might have a better chance to pass on the May ballot, which would likely be less crowded with issues than a general election ballot, Briell said.
Before deciding on another levy attempt, library officials should consider the results of the county's property reappraisal, which will be available early next year, and consider the impact of Delphi Corp's bankruptcy, said board member Nick Macris.
Meanwhile, he said, the administration should recommend to the board cuts that would be least disruptive to service to the public. Now that the system has five branches, the administration should ask whether it still needs to operate a bookmobile or whether it could operate the bookmobile on a reduced schedule, Macris said.
Board Member James McFarland said he thinks the board has "an obligation" to make another levy attempt next spring.
During the campaign, library officials said that, if the levy passed, the new money would have allowed the system to increase its materials acquisition budget, buy additional public access computers, replace its bookmobile, pay off debts, and restore main library's Sunday hours.