Garden City Library Proposes $3.48 Million Budget For 2022-23

GARDEN CITY, NY — Garden City Public Library Director Marianne Malagon presented a proposed 2022-23 budget of $3.48 million to the Village Board of Trustees during a work session at Village Hall March 24. The proposed spending plan is overall remaining flat to the prior year’s adopted budget; increases in utilities and salary-related expenses are offset by decreases in benefits and taxes as a result of lower than anticipated pension costs.

“We’re back with in-person programs for book lovers, virtual programs for our residents at home, outdoor programs for families and more, and soon we’ll be telling stories in-the-round and working on STEAM projects in our new Children’s Room,” Malagon said.

The Children’s Room renovation project is fully funded at $1.12 million. The village funded $870,000, including the January 2022 increase of $275,000. The Library Board initiated the project in 2012 and began to accumulate $165,000 in years of accrued memorial gifts, and State Bullet Aid from former State Senator Kemp Hannon, $200,000 from SAM Grants sponsored by State Senator Kevin Thomas and State Assemblyman Edward Ra, and a $71,000 Reserve Account to be allocated for cost overruns or technology. In the past year, the Friends of the Garden City Library contributed an additional $30,000 gift to support the project.

The library is asking for less than 1 percent increase in expenditures. The slight increase includes $8,000 for materials, including the introduction of the “Library of Things” which allows users to borrow wifi hotspots, tools, board games and more. Additional funding is sought to add 12 hours of part-time librarians for programs and for staffing the building as staff will be spread out during the renovation. Although the library saved money on part-time help while closed, or serving fewer patrons, this help is now needed as the library increases in-person programming and services.

Proposed revenues for 2022-23 are decreasing from the current budget primarily due to a reduction in the village contribution from the General Fund as a result of surplus in the Library Fund. The surpluses from the prior year and last year are due to COVID — three retirements, a slow labor market for hiring part-time workers, fewer programs and delayed expenditures for renovation. This is a one-time decrease, however, as the library will require a typical village contribution next year once positions are filled and programs are scheduled.

The proposed 2022-23 Capital Plan includes $56,000 in technology and $20,000 for future room updates, including the Teen Room and the Meeting Rooms. Technology requests include a digital display screen for the new seating area adjacent to the Children’s Room. There are three current projects expected to be completed in the 2022-23 year, including the Children’s Room, the library’s HVAC system and the building’s roof repair and repointing project.