Ronan city council discusses library budget

RONAN - The city library sent representatives to the city council meeting Monday night to discuss various issues, including a budget amendment.

Board director Frank Delgado requested a budget amendment to include a $1,500 donation the library received from the Lower Flathead Valley Community Foundation. The money will help fund the library's summer reading program, he said.

The budget amendment marks the third change the library has made in 2010 as two anonymous donations of a combined $25,000 were made a few months earlier.

"We've had a lot of people supporting the library this year," Delgado said. "It's been very gratifying and has kept our spirits up."

He also introduced to the council documents related to a mill levy proposal the library would like to have voted on sometime in September. The library needs the council approval, but has a limited time frame as approval must come 90 days before the schedule vote. Mayor Kim Aipperspach asked to table the issue until the next meeting to afford time for review, but promised action to conform to the necessary time frame.

Board member Dick Gallagher also rose to speak concerning the library's 2010-2011 fiscal year budget. He said the board hopes to begin shaping the budget, but cannot without an estimated amount from the council.

"It will really help our cause if we know what we are going to get," Gallagher said.

Aipperspach encouraged the board to reference last year's amount, as it is too early for the council to know for sure the exact amount. The council will not know budget amounts for months, clerk Kaylene Melton said, as it all depends on the amount of taxes the city receives.

Gallagher continued to press the council for a concrete number, even as council members repeatedly said it is literally impossible to know.

"We won't see our real numbers until fall, so it will change," city council member Ann Brower said.

"We're all in this boat together," councilwoman Marcia Ganieany added.

In other news, the council tabled decisions on creating an SID for the R & J subdivision and whether to approve a land trade with Russ Sherman. Council members agreed a specific work meeting would be necessary to determine those decisions.

The Ronan City Council will next meet June 14.