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18 <br /> 1 Commissioner Dorosin asked if there would be reductions to the Chapel Hill Library, <br /> 2 since reductions are being made to Orange County Library. <br /> 3 Travis Myren said a similar reduction is not currently recommended. <br /> 4 Commissioner Dorosin said as an amendment to the budget, he requested that be <br /> 5 decreased by at least 5%, depending on how much it is. <br /> 6 Bonnie Hammersley said she would add that to the list. <br /> 7 Commissioner Greene said she understands the cuts to the libraries, but would like for <br /> 8 staff to keep tabs on the community's response to the reduction in hours, and hopes it will only <br /> 9 be a temporary change. <br /> 10 Lucinda Munger, Library Services Director, said when the schedule was first proposed <br /> 11 for the main library in 2009-10, requests from residents were tracked and the operating hours <br /> 12 were re-evaluated. She said there have been a lot of comments from residents wanting the <br /> 13 library open. She said hours will be re-evaluated at the beginning of the next budget cycle. <br /> 14 Commissioner Greene said a member of the Chapel Hill Town petitioned to reconvene <br /> 15 the committee to discuss funding for the Chapel Hill Library, because he/she does not think it is <br /> 16 receiving enough. She said maybe that conversation will start up again and Commissioner <br /> 17 Dorosin could be on the committee. <br /> 18 Chair Price asked about the schedule difference between the slide and the <br /> 19 Recommended Budget Document, where the first says the library will be closed Sundays, and <br /> 20 the latter says Monday. <br /> 21 Lucinda Munger said staff meetings were held after the budget document was created, <br /> 22 and in order to have the library open 54 hours a week, it was suggested to cut a few hours off <br /> 23 throughout the week and close on Sunday, because that was the shortest day the library would <br /> 24 be open. She said when the main library first opened it was closed on Sundays, so staff <br /> 25 followed that original template. <br /> 26 Chair Price said she is concerned about being closed on Sundays, because that is a day <br /> 27 that many people have off. She asked if Library staff has kept track over the years on the <br /> 28 number who visit at different days and time. <br /> 29 Lucinda Munger said staff needed to cut 14 hours, which is not easy to cut. <br /> 30 Chair Price asked why the library had to cut hours. <br /> 31 Lucinda Munger said because of the budget. <br /> 32 Bonnie Hammersley said in order to balance the budget, she had to look at a couple of <br /> 33 discretionary departments. She said Sunday is the shortest day the library is open and Lucinda <br /> 34 Munger offered there could be a technical amendment if that is what the recommended budget <br /> 35 is. She said she hopes it is not forever, and staff will evaluate what the public says in regards to <br /> 36 the hours. She said opening a library is not a permissible use of ARPA, so staff had to find <br /> 37 some areas to reduce hours. She said this is the number of hours the library was open in the <br /> 38 past, and staff would look at the hours to make sure they are meeting the most usage. <br /> 39 Chair Price said she is still concerned, because she views the library as an extension of <br /> 40 the whole education process. <br /> 41 Bonnie Hammersley said staff will monitor the situation and make sure the needs of the <br /> 42 most people are being met going forward. <br /> 43 Chair Price said she can recall going to the libraries and not being able to find parking <br /> 44 on the weekends, because they are so well used. <br /> 45 Travis Myren resumed the PowerPoint presentation: <br /> 46 <br /> 47 <br />