Richmond Memorial Library's budget vote and trustee election takes place from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Thursday, May 2nd.
Norm Argulsky and Jessica Ecock-Rotondo are candidates for the two trustee seats, each with five-year terms.
The library is seeking an increase in local public funds of $25,350 for fiscal year 2019-20.
Voting takes place in the Library's Gallery Room. The library is located at 19 Ross St. in the City of Batavia. Phone is 343-9550.
Any registered voter residing in the Batavia City School District is eligible to vote.
To learn about the 2019-20 budget, the trustee candidates and general information about the library and its plans, click here.
Library Director Robert Conrad explains the proposed budget:
"On the revenue side, we’re prepared for small drops in PILOT funds and income from library fines and fees. We expect them to be counterbalanced easily by increases to gifts, memorials, and withdrawals from our appropriated fund balance.
"Of course, the bulk of our revenues come from the local property tax levy. New York’s property tax cap formula allows us to ask for an increase of $60,557 without breaking the cap – but we’re asking for an increase of only $25,350. That increase, which would be under 2 percent for the sixth year in a row, would raise the tax rate per thousand of assessed value by 0.0288 – in other words, by less than $3 for a home assessed at $100,000.
"On the expense side, we're budgeting slight increases in local funding for library materials; we're adding capacity to the Imagination Library program (free books for kids to keep every month, from birth through age 5), which would allow up to double the enrollment we see today; and we’re doubling down on our very popular and well-attended library programs for adults, teens, and children of all ages.
"Long supported by additional funding from the Friends of the Richmond Memorial Library, our music, movie, book, and family gaming programs are popular with Batavians as well as with families from the surrounding communities who come here to share, learn, read, and play, helping to make Batavia the vibrant hub of the GLOW county region.
"Thank you to everyone for making the Richmond Memorial Library the extraordinary place that it strives to be!"
