Sechelt council has endorsed an increase in the Sechelt Public Library budget in an effort to stake out its position in negotiations on a new funding agreement with the Sunshine Coast Regional District (SCRD) and Sechelt Indian Government District (SIGD).
Three SCRD rural areas fund the Sechelt Library: Pender Harbour, Halfmoon Bay and Roberts Creek.
In a report for Sechelt council’s Feb. 6 meeting, director of finance Doug Stewart recommended an increase in the library’s base operating funding of $88,683 as well as $70,000 to cover the cost of creating a new library supervisor position.
On top of that, there would be $41,800 for one-time capital expenses, $28,516 to buy new library materials and $10,000 to cover money that had to be taken from reserves to cover the costs of recruiting a new chief librarian.
Coun. Tom Lamb, one of Sechelt’s SCRD directors, said he thinks the library should get the funding it needs to catch up after being underfunded “in the past years.”
“Libraries are becoming more important in our communities as we move along for people who don’t have access to computers or books,” he said.
Coun. Alton Toth said he and his family have been longtime supporters of the library, and he too backs a budget increase.
“I think you’d be hard pressed to find people in this community who find funding a library to be generally a bad idea,” Toth said. “Where else can you walk into a public space, take as much off the shelves as you can carry and walk out, so long as you promise to try to return everything by a certain date? Try that over at Claytons and see how it goes.”
Under the funding agreement that expired at the end of 2018, the District of Sechelt provided 63.1 per cent of the library’s total budget, with the SIGD covering 1.79 per cent, Pender Harbour 4.75 per cent, Halfmoon Bay 19.31 per cent and Roberts Creek contributing 11.05 per cent.
Stewart said based on that formula, Sechelt’s share of the proposed increase would work out to roughly $151,000 with the capital and other one-time expenses covered through surpluses, and the rest through a 1.14 per cent property tax increase.
The library budget will be part of the SCRD’s round two budget discussions, which are set for March 4 and 5, and the debate is expected to include the question of whether the funding contributions from the partners in the funding agreement should be based on population or assessment.
Coun. Matt McLean said he favours a population-based split. “We [should] set the precedent now and bring it back to the SCRD and say, ‘Work with us.’”
During the SCRD’s round one budget talks, Roberts Creek director Andreas Tize said “there’s definitely a need for improvements on some of the services there” and that he was “in principle” supportive of the Sechelt Library’s request. He also said though that he’d be reluctant to change how Roberts Creek apportions its library taxes, which also support the Gibsons Public Library and the Roberts Creek Library.
SCRD chair Lori Pratt, who represents Halfmoon Bay, put forward a motion for a report on apportionment and funding options, including a new five-year memorandum of understanding to be presented during round two.
– With files from Sophie Woodrooffe
