Library trustees OK $18.6M budget

Staff report

POLAND

The trustees of the Public Library of Youngstown and Mahoning County have approved a temporary 2011 operating budget of $18.62 million, compared with $11.69 million this year.

The increase is due to approval last month of a new 1.8-mill countywide, five-year real-estate-tax levy. The new levy will generate about $7,292,000 a year for the 16-branch library system.

As promised during the levy campaign, the library system will restore the cuts in operating hours it imposed last year when it begins receiving revenue from the new levy early next spring, said Janet Loew, library communications and public-relations director.

The library system must hire and train employees before expanding hours, she said.

Budget woes due to state funding cuts forced the system to cut hours and lay off 30 employees last year. The system now has 170 employees.

Also Thursday, the board renewed the contract of library Director Carlton A. Sears for five years, keeping his salary at $105,384 annually. Sears has been library director here since February 1997.