Library board decides to seek 5-year renewal of 1-mill levy on ballot

The existing library levy generates $3.77 million annually.

staff report

YOUNGSTOWN — The Public Library of Youngstown and Mahoning County board has decided to ask voters for a five-year renewal of a 1-mill countywide levy Nov. 3.

The board voted for this measure because this is the levy it expects the Mahoning County commissioners will place on the ballot for the library system at their 10 a.m. Thursday meeting in the county courthouse basement, said Janet Loew, library communications and public relations director.

The library board took the action by a 7-2 vote in a Tuesday meeting at the system’s Newport Branch, which opened Feb. 7.

The dissenting votes came from library board members John H. Yerian III and Judge Mary DeGenaro.

The decision concerning what type and size of library levy goes on the ballot is in the hands of the county commissioners, Loew said. The commissioners’ deadline to place levies on the Nov. 3 ballot is Aug. 20.

The levy the voters would be asked to renew generates $3.07 million annually through Dec. 31, 2010. It costs the owner of a $100,000 home $26.95 annually.

The library board previously had recommended a 1.7-mill, five-year levy, consisting of a 1-mill replacement levy and a 0.7-mill additional levy.

In its Tuesday resolution recommending only the renewal for Nov. 3, the library board rescinded its earlier resolution recommending the 1.7-mill measure, which would have generated $6.87 million annually.

Carlton Sears, library director, earlier had said passage of the 1.7-mill measure, which would have cost the owner of a $100,000 home $52 per year, might have allowed service reductions that will take effect next month to be partially restored next year.

Because of drastic state funding cuts, the library board has approved a 15 percent reduction in library hours beginning Sept. 8, which will result in the loss of about one day a week of library service at each branch.

This will mean a loss of 113 hours a week of library service across the main library and its branches. The main library and its 15 branches are now collectively open 740.5 hours per week.