Elgin library looking at flat budget during COVID-19
The Gail Borden Public Library District has a proposed flat budget for the new fiscal year and plans to continue focusing on its virtual Spanish and English programming after getting a positive response from patrons.
"We are really pleased with how many people are connecting with us virtually," library spokeswoman Denise Raleigh said, pointing to bilingual programs like storytime, crafts, STEM and unemployment help. "However, we are looking forward to the time when we are in Phase 5 and we can offer a full range of services to our community." Illinois is in Phase 4 of a gradual reopening plan during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The library district's proposed $16.5 million budget for the fiscal year that started July 1 is an increase of about $100,000 compared to the 2019-2020 budget. That includes $11.8 million in general fund expenses, same as last year, documents show.
The library board will take the next few weeks to examine the proposed budget presented Tuesday, board president Jean Bednar said. Board members typically give final approval in September.
The three library buildings - the main one in Elgin, plus branches in Elgin and South Elgin - reopened to the public July 6. Occupancy limits related to the pandemic have not been reached and there has been steady use of computers, Raleigh said.
The reopening has been going "really well," said Bednar, a self-proclaimed skeptic who said she got positive feedback from staff members. The most heavily attended day was July 10, when a storm caused power outages and people sought relief at the library, she added.
The library district came under budget by more than $660,000 in the fiscal year that ended June 30, much of it because of the shutdown. That money is being rolled into the new fiscal year, Raleigh said.
Savings include nearly $20,000 for exhibits and displays, about $28,000 for electricity about $9,600 less for natural gas, and about $215,000 in salary expenses. The latter is due to not filling some positions and postponing raises because of uncertainty regarding the financial effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, Raleigh said. "We think property tax revenue is not going to be impacted but we don't know all the challenges that will come," she said.
Expenses due to COVID-19 include an additional $65,300 for cleaning services at all three library locations, which have been outfitted with plexiglass dividers with money budgeted for upholstery replacement, Raleigh said. Janitorial services are increasing by $10,000, including personal protective equipment for staff members.
Proceeds from book sales traditionally held by the Gail Borden Public Library District Foundation have stopped due to the pandemic, but there was a substantial gift from a donor's will that somewhat offset the loss, Raleigh said.
The library hopes to host sometime next year a "Pirate Island" educational exhibition, originally scheduled for late May, if the state enters Phase 5 of the Recovery Illinois plan. The library also plans to work with a consultant to start designing a proposed expansion for the South Elgin branch, she said.
An employee who has not been inside a library building since June 26 tested positive for COVID-19, Raleigh said. The library did extensive contact tracing and all employees who came into contact with the individual are self-quarantining, she said.
"The employee worked in a small area of library and it has been throughly cleaned," she said. "We took every precaution and we exceeded all the guidelines with regard to the occurrence."