Finding money

Bill to repair library grows

The library in Picton is currently undergoing restorative work to its exterior, largely the result of a failing roof, according to architect Bruce Downey. But as with many renovation projects it’s only when the first layer is peeled back that one can really assess the size of the project one has begun. So it is at the Picton library.

Downey and the library’s CEO, Barbara Sweet, came to a committee of council last week looking for an additional $24,000 from the County, to address the wider scope of work they had uncovered and to do the job right.

Several councillors pounced on the opportunity to spend what they don’t have. Some used the tried and true if-we-don’t-spend-the- money-now-we-will-spend-a-lot-morelater gambit.

Hillier Councillor Alec Lunn is a committed supporter of County libraries and didn’t hesitate before jumping into the fray.

“This is a serious problem,” said Lunn. “And we must deal with it.”

Athol councillor Jamie Forrester offered a clever way to fund the additional repairs while celebrating a little at the same time. “Can’t we use the savings from the Economic Development Officer’s salary now that he is no longer here?” asked Forrester.

Forrester after all had helped, along with Councillor Keith MacDonald, to engineer the gutting of the Economic Development Officer’s budget which in turn likely contributed to his decision to take his skills to another municipality.

Sensing an opportunity to refight lost battles, Ameliasburgh councillor Nick Nowitski suggested taking funding away from Taste the County, a tourism marketing organization, and using it to fix the library.

That’s when the County’s finance chief Susan Turnbull pulled back hard on the reins, strongly urging the committee to ask more questions before it began writing cheques it couldn’t cover.

“We haven’t heard what choices were made,” said Turnbull. “How did we get here? What has the Library Board done to find this money? What about the Friends of the Library? More questions should be asked about the choices.

“You led us through a very tough budget. Every department made sacrifices and deep cuts, some of which we are only now understanding the implications. Here we are in May and we are opening up the budget for the library? I see this as just the tip of the iceberg.”

Duly admonished, the committee agreed to permit Turnbull and library officials examine options before cracking open the budget.