Library board drafts new budget

The Joint City-County Library board approved the 2023-24 budget of $206,444 at the June meeting held in Dutton.

Leading up to the approval of the budget, the board followed a three-month timetable of gathering information from the Choteau, Dutton and Fairfield library directors, reviewing the previous year’s budget and discussing the needs and wish lists in determining a budget.

The budget includes salaries and benefits, supplies, collections and technology. The Choteau library portion is $91,749; the Dutton library, $62,081; and the Fairfield library, $45,067; and employee buyouts, $6,446. During the meeting, board Chairwoman Karen Ferris said salaries and benefits reflect the biggest difference in the amount each library received.

For the Choteau library, which employs one full-time and four part-time employees, and is open 40 hours a week, salaries including benefits is $65,960. Dutton has four employees and is open 20 hours a week and salaries and benefits total $44,793. Fairfield has three employees and is also open 20 hours a week and tallies salaries and benefits of $36,318.

The libraries with more longevity in their staff have a large salary budget, Ferris explained. She also noted members of the staff at Choteau and Dutton are enrolled in the county’s health insurance program for $7,788 per employee for employee-only basic coverage, while the Fairfield library does not have staff signed up for insurance.

There were no major changes to the other line items in the budget except for a slight increase in the training line item, which will help pay for some travel expenses that have not been included in the past.

It was noted at an earlier board meeting, but Ferris said it is worth reminding community members that the county funds the daily operations of the three public libraries while the city governments in each of the three towns provide the building and pay for building upkeep and maintenance along with some supplies. The cost-sharing is established in the agreement that created joint city-county libraries. In April of 2018, Teton County voters approved the special 10-year library levy.

Board members Ferris, Margi Corey, Jean Harman and Carol Idland thanked outgoing director and the board’s secretary Diana Levine for her years of service, as this was her last meeting. She resigned earlier in the spring but agreed to stay on through the budget process.

Ferris said they will be looking to replace Levine and if possible find someone who resides outside of the three communities.

During the meeting, Ferris introduced the new Choteau library director, Heather Ronnebaum.

Ronnebaum told the board a bit about herself and how she is settling into the job, having only been there for a couple weeks.

Ronnebaum has reached out to a couple of companies she previously worked with during her library career in Indiana and hopes to form a similar partnership with these companies at the Choteau library. She will keep the board updated on the opportunity of teaming up with other companies and the savings it might create. She is also looking at other grants that can be used to build “free library” units for both Bynum and Power as well as starting some programs that could be shared via Dutton, Fairfield and Choteau.

She also noted the summer reading program started the beginning of June. The numbers have been good through the first couple weeks.

“I don’t plan on making any big changes, but I do hope to be able to change a few things to streamline and simplify some things,” Ronnebaum said. “I will not do anything without sitting down and talking to the staff to get their thoughts because we are a team,” she added.

Ronnebaum concluded her report by saying she looks forward to working with everyone and finding out more about Montana.

Dutton library director Cheri Fuhringer reviewed the spring and summer activities at her library, including story hour, yoga, adult book club and teen movie night. The summer reading program started in June and will include a monthly book challenge. She also has several fun activities planned, including “Not Quite A Teen” game night, trivia night, start net fun, spread the love art project, steps for pets and chalk the block with kindness.

Fuhringer said the la galerie d’art will have the school students’ work on its new display in July.

Tracie Roeder, Fairfield library director, reported use of the library continues to show growth compared to the previous year. Roeder said the library continues to see the Marthele Olson meeting room be used for local activities including book clubs and a technology class hosted by 3 Rivers Communications.

The Fairfield library is also holding a summer reading program and has several activities planned. The library has partnered with six local businesses as part of the program.

Roeder spoke of two grants the library is working on submitting and if successful, will use the funds for outdoor furniture and a bike rack and new computer equipment and a laser printer.

The next board meeting will be held Sept. 15.