Monday, September 10, 2012

Hendry Budget May Cut Libaries

Hendry Libraries Look For Community Support

LABELLE, FL. -- The library system for Hendry county may be in for some budget cuts by the county commission. A release put out by the library this week on the funding issue:

Hendry County is seeking ways to balance its budget, and one of the favored ways is to cut off Per Capita Aid. The proposal with the most traction appears to be a proposal to CUT OFF COUNTY AID COMPLETELY!

Per Capita Aid supplies $39,856 to each library in the county. In addition, the County gives another $18,000 as a Grant in Aid to Barron. This brings the total in County Aid to $39,856 for Clewiston, and a whopping $57,856 for Barron. This is out of a total Barron revenue stream of $128,886, or 44.89% of Barron's total budget. A LOSS OF THAT SIZE THREATENS BARRON'S EXISTENCE!!! IT WOULD ALSO MEAN AT LEAST THE LOSS OF A STAFF MEMBER AT CLEWISTON!!

The County is holding one budget workshop and two budget hearings to discuss this along with many other proposals. I urge you to be at those meetings to show your support for public libraries in Hendry County. Please WEAR A BLUE SHIRT so that you can be recognized as a public library supporter. A sea of blue in the audience will send a strong message, one that could save one of our libraries.

The meetings are on the following dates:
1. Budget hearing on Tuesday, September 11, at 5:00 p.m., at the Clewiston City Hall, at 115 W. Ventura Avenue, in Clewiston.
2. Final Budget Hearing, on Tuesday, September 25, at 5:00 p.m., at the Hendry County Courthouse, at 25 East Hickpochee Avenue, in Labelle.

Also, please email the County Commissioners to lobby for a restoration of County Aid. Their email addresses are:

District 1 - Janet Taylor bocc1@hendryfla.net
District 2 - Darrell Harris bocc2@hendryfla.net
District 3 - Tristan Chapman bocc3@hendryfla.net
District 4 - Al Perry bocc4@hendryfla.net
District 5 - Karson Turner bocc5@hendryfla.net

Editor's note: It would be interesting to hear from any citizen who get any response from their county commissioner.  email to editor

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