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Murray Memorial Library in Chester seeks help

CHESTER — A struggling Lynn Murray Memorial Library has appealed to Chester Council for help.

Library board President Janet Keller said the library’s state funding has been threatened, and city funding could be next.

“We have exhausted every source of revenue we can think of,” she said.

“We’ve lost revenue in the last couple of years, and we don’t have enough to pay the bills,” said head librarian Linda Clark.

The women were responding to an earlier request from council that the library report on its finances. Council is considering how to allocate the dwindling revenue that it gets from the annual coal severance tax.

“We want to do what we can to help you out,” Councilman Brad Anderson said, “but we’re also tightening our belts.”

Council’s allocations of coal severance money have steadily gone down since 2014 — from $9,000 in fiscal year 2015 to $8,000 in fiscal year 2016. Allocations for the current fiscal year (2017) will be based on collections in the amount of $6,962.

That money will be divided among the library, the Chester Park Board and the city historical fund.

Councilman John “Woody” Woodruff recommended allocations in the amount of $3,500 for the library, $2,500 for the park board and $962 for the historical fund, but council tabled the matter.

“Your percentages, I believe, are wrong,” Keller said, noting the library does not have the sources of revenue that the park board does.

She said once-reliable private sources of funding, such as veterans organizations, are focusing their giving on youth athletic organizations.

“In this day and age, we need to offer our children an educational outlet,” she said. “We’re at a disadvantage because if we lose our local funding, we lose our state funding. We have to show them that we are interested in education.”

In addition to the circulating of print books and e-books, the library provides free notary service, fax service, voter registration assistance, income tax service, tutoring, story hours and research assistance, Keller said.

Council also:

¯ Resolved a property dispute with Patricia King, whose house sits at the corner of Sixth Street and Church Alley. Although an aluminum carport extends into Church Alley, the alley has never been vacated by the city.

City Solicitor April Raines said the city probably would have lost an adverse possession lawsuit. The settlement states the carport will be removed, and the alley revert back to the city, whenever the property changes hands due to death or sale.

The affidavit of title approved by council 4-0 will be filed at the Hancock County Courthouse. Councilman Steve Shuman was absent.

— Accepted a bid of $300 for a 2007 Crown Victoria Police Interceptor.

— Authorized the soliciting of city residents to be members of the recently reconstituted Municipal Fee Board. The five-member board must include two councilmen.

— Asked Raines to prepare legislation for the creation of a finance committee to advise council.

— Authorized moving the court clerk/police administrative assistant to Room 209 and moving the part-time clerk to Room 206.

— Tabled the purchase of three used telephones for the Municipal Building.

— Authorized the appropriation of $40 a month from Municipal Court Judge Curt Parkins’ account for a dedicated fax line.

—  Accepted a bid of $591 from Builders Wholesale for the purchase and installation of new carpeting for the court clerk’s office.

— Changed the city solicitor from April Manypenny to the Manypenny Raines Law Office.

— Agreed to continue meeting at 5 p.m. on the first and third Mondays of the month.

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