Finance committee approves county library funding request
A display from the library’s summer reading program. Noelle Bezio from Zoozort, a wildlife education program, shows off one of the program’s many critters. A second display from the PdC library’s summer reading program. PdC Library Director Elisabeth Byers with Bezio during the Zoozort visit to the library. The Prairie du Chien Memorial Public Library has hosted numerous activities for their Summer Reading Program, including Avian Connection, ZooZort, scavenger hunts and Friday movies. In July, the library will host Scaly and Slimy with Osborne Park, Blufftop Alpacas, Harry Potter Owl Day and more. For more details explore the library’s Facebook page. (Submitted photos)
Recommends raising reimbursement rate for Crawford County to match Grant, Iowa countie
By Steve Van Kooten
The Crawford County Finance Committee got a brief respite from the jail replacement project. After the board of supervisors approved the initial resolution and guaranteed maximum price, it left room in their June 19 agenda to review other matters, including a requested reimbursement increase from the county libraries.
Board Supervisor and Library Committee Chair Linda Munson, along with the county librarians Elisabeth Byers, Prairie du Chien; David Gibbs, Gays Mills; and Sara DiPadova, Soldiers Grove, attended the meeting.
Byers told the committee that the three county libraries served 62,468 visitors last year; more people who accessed the libraries’ resources were from municipalities without a county library in their local community than from Prairie, Gays Mills or Soldiers Grove.
“That says we’re spending a lot of time and energy to make sure everybody has access. We’re proud of that,” said Byers, who added that the libraries have made a concerted effort to reach smaller communities within the county, including Wauzeka, Seneca and Eastman.
The libraries’ staff asked the finance committee to approve an increase in the county’s reimbursement rate from 70 percent to 78 percent.
“Right now, our county reimbursement covers 70 percent of being able to reach those people in the county and what it costs to provide materials and services,” Byers said. “It would allow us to expand our material purchasing program offerings, which would benefit all residents and result in better service.”
According to the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction, Wisconsin counties are required to pay at least 70 percent of the cost of library services provided to residents of the county who live in a community that does not maintain a public library. That cost is tabulated using the library’s total operating expenditures (except capital and federal funding) and the library’s circulation numbers.
To receive reimbursement, the libraries must provide the number of loans of materials made by the library during the prior year to county residents in a community that does not have a library, the total number of all loans of materials and the total library operating expenditures over the same time frame.
Byers said Grant and Iowa counties reimburse their libraries at 78 percent.
“The way this works is [the county] gets a [dollar] amount that the state tells us exactly what we have to reallocate to all the towns and villages that don’t have public libraries, and it’s part of their levee. So, really, the county levees for that money, but we, basically, get reimbursed from all of those towns and villages for the usage of the libraries,” said Finance Committee Chair Gary Koch.
He added that the county is a “really a pass-through” for the money, which is used to fund the county library system.
“It seems reasonable to me that we’d at least reimburse the cost at a 78 percent level,” Koch said.
“It gets us to where other counties are. All of those funds help programming, materials, staffing and even electricity.”
The committee approved the increased reimbursement rate, which will go to the board of supervisors next.
Munson and the librarians provided details about the county libraries’ performance in 2023.
The three libraries reported $442,781 in total revenue. Municipal reimbursement accounted for 59 percent, while Crawford County reimbursement (30 percent); reimbursement from other counties (4 percent); and grants, donations and reserves (7 percent) also contributed.
The libraries reported $439,405 in total expenses. Staff wages and benefits accounted for 59 percent, while physical materials (12 percent) and programs, supplies, facility maintenance and service contracts were also contributing factors.
Collectively, the libraries held 614 public programs and 315 self-directed activities during the year, with a total attendance of 17,108.
Circulation totals had risen year-over-year since at least 2021, from 73,005 between physical and digital sources to 88,333 in 2023.
Other business
• Robin Fisher, county clerk, proposed the creation of an IT contingency fund with a small amount of money allocated to it each year. The money would be used for “little things that pop up,” such as equipment issues in the county buildings. Leftover money would be emptied at the end of each year and transferred to the county’s Technology Fund, a general ledger account that only previously only received funds from the county’s Contingency Fund’s remaining balance at the end of each year. Koch suggested the IT department place the proposed account and the requested dollar amount in their budget requests for 2025.
• approved the purchase of an additional security camera in the courthouse for $2,003.50 using AARPA funds.
• approved $5,050 accrued from the sale of the Land Conservation Department’s SUV to be placed in the department’s Vehicle Purchase Account, a rollover account that is used for its titular purpose.
