The Lucknow Sentinel, 1997-06-18, Page 8Page 9 -- Luckuow Sentinel WeduesdaY, June 18, 1997
1
Crary closure is a mistake
by Pat Halpin
Wi:arton says Bruce
county is making a mis-
take by imposing a two-
week shut down of the
county library system in
July.
"The library board, this
county and the province
are going inthe wrong
direction," said Wiarton
Reeve Rick 'Gilbert about
funding cuts that forced a
shut •down to balance the
library budget.
"We shouldn't cut back
if we're 'going to keepµ
libraries."
The decision to close
all libraries in the, county
for two weeks was
approved in the county
budget to compensate for
reduced: provincial grants.
Those grants are expected.
to disappear entirely in
1998. Library board chair
Tom Boyle said. the ti'rning
.of the shut down was
made after .consultation
with staff, who will take
the time off without pay.
"They didn't pick those
two weeks to lie around at.
the beach because they
won't have the money to
do that," Boyle said about
the temporary layoff, •
Kincardine reeve Norm
Annetts echoed Gilbert's
concerns.
"It•is the busiest time
for the Kincardine
library," he said, . '
Annetts admitted tourists
and cottagers account. for
the increase in library use
in the summer. •
But tourism iii our sec-
ond biggest industry," he,
remindedcouncil.
e4, ; "There is a. `felt; of OM -
petition for tourism dol-
lars. If we don't address,
this we're going to lose
out to Simcoe, Wasaga
.and Lambton. •
Boyle rejected Annette
suggestion, that future.
shut -downs should be
scheduled during . the.
Christmas and' March
breaks.,
"Students need the
library ,at. Christmas
break," he.said, Boyle
suggested patrons can
stock pp onbooks to carry
them over the July shut-
down.
"We didn't think it
would jeopardize the sys-
tem all that much," Boyle
said.
Boyle reminded council
the 'library board presented
two draft budgets, one of
which did not include a
shut down, He admits the.
board "took a some flack"
for the shutdown, but he
reminded council the
option is the result of a.
county funding decision.
"We should evaluate
what we want and what
we need," he said about
the county library system.
"Under restructuring to
eight municipalities, souse
of: those libraries could be
considered to.. be jeopar-
dized."
bj
In his annual report to
council, Library director
Marzio Apolloni' . said
provincial, funding cuts
have .already shown up as
a decrease in library use.
Apolloni said the cuts ..
mean fewer new books
and "a direct negative
impact on use". He pre-
dieted the trend will con-
tinue as book•pri'ces rise
sand library budgets fall.
Figures show circula-
tion dropped from 512,171
items in 1995 to498,992
last year, Apolloni said the.
decrease is due to the, cut
'in book buying budgets
and the closing of branch-
es ,in Elmwood and
Allenford.
•
On the pitive side,
Apolloni said the county
library system'will expand
the type of information it
offers by making more use
-
ofinternet access and by
developing partnerships
with school boards:
•
or
•HIP OF ICSH
Financial :statement
For the Year Ended December 31,1995
TOWNSHIP OF ASHF7ELD'
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF OPERATIONS
YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31,1996
BUDGET ':ACFUAL ACTUAL
.1996`. -` 1996.. .'1995
TOWNSHIPQF ASIFIELD.
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF OPERATIONS.
YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31:,1.996.' •
BUDGET 'ACTUAL
1996 • 1996
APPLIED. TO:
Current' Operations
General..government
Fire (Note 3)
Conservation authority
Protective inspection and control
Roadways '
Street lighting `
Waterworks system
Garbage collection •
Garbage disposal •.
Health services (Note 3).
Parks and recreation (Note 3)
Municipal.drains' '
Pit rehabilitation
Capital
Arena Phase II
Roadways
Garbage disposal
• Municipal drains
Total' funds expended for the year
Net appropriations to reserves and
reserve funds (Note 7) •
MUNICIPALFUND BALANCES, -end of
or user chargee (Note 6)
Capital operations not yet
` • ' '
$164,100.
20,000
15,535
5,500
455,000 ,
2,000
6,500
22,160
38,500
2,000
30,800
20,650
752,745
$179,725_
15,306 •
15,535'.
,4,227
454;703'
1,363.
4,524
19,658
28,681
26,336
23,308
773,366
154,400 114,242 "
45,000
•
•
199,400
982,145•
year,
To be used.to offset taxation
permanently
• ° financed (Note 6)
TOTAL APPLICATIONS FOR THE YEAR
5982,145
11,783
ACTUAL`
1995
$160,684
17,531
` 15621
3,847 :...
' 476,000
1,160
5,270
10,453
22,032 •
26,624 :.
16,503
4,217
759,942 '
101},000
265,019`
10,904
50,457
16,025 . ' 426,380
899,391 1;186,322..
67,511
38,741
(11,795)
26,946
$99
SOURCES OF FINANCING:
Taxation and user charges
Residential„ and farm:;taxation
Commercial, industrial and '
business taxation
Taxation from other. government
Telephone levies.'
Waterbillings.
Licences and permits
Fees' and service charges
Municipal: drainage charges
Grants
Government of Canada
province of :Ontario
$2,384,046 • $2,387;711 82,043,633
::111,778 111,979. - 133,531
2,691 -'. 2,481 2,691.
' 26,864 31,199 26,864
' 6;000 6,426 ., ' 6,450
9,000 ' 17,343 12,189
71,920, 91;580_ 39,583..:'
18,437 11,767 10,855
2,630,736 2,660,486 2,275,796
29,037
429,680 414,299 446,977
•
429,680 414,299.
"Other
• Municipal. capital drainage collections 40,891
Penalty and interest on taxes 27,169
Development 'charges '
Severancefees'
Investment income . 4,000
28,579
38,233 , .
• .1,500'
1,000
. 7,644,
476,014:
38,996 .
42'83,0
. 11,120.
.72,060 . • 76,956 92,946 .MIN 0011.11••i•.
• Total funds raised for the year' . . ' 3,132,476 ' 3,151,741 • 2,844,756
• Deducts amounts received or receivable
for county and schdol boards
(Note 2) 2,140,207 2,147,769 1,819,219
1,025,537
Net appropriations from reserves and
767 (Note..��_ ,. 93,551 ...
reserve funds 7)
MUNICIPAL. FUND BALANCES.- beginning of year
•To -be recovered from taxation or , ' .
(10,891)' ' user charges (Note 6) 767.. ' ' 767 57,189
992,269 1,003,972
Capital operations•not yet permanently
financed (Note 6) (10,891)
TOTAL FINANCING AVAILABLE
FOR THE YEAR
(10,891)
(104 4) (10 ,124)
•
$982,145 $99,84$
(79).
�� 57_110
61;176,198