An official of the Fulton Public Library came to last week’s public hearing of the Fulton Common Council to warn that without an increase in its budget, the library would have to cut hours and lay off a worker.
Aldermen approved the budget without changes, leaving its contribution to the library at the same level as in the last budget. They did not mention the library’s request nor respond to the official, beyond thanking her for her comment.
Thursday, the library’s board of trustees voted to cut its hours and lay off one member of the staff.
Groups such as the union New York State United Teachers and the New York State School Board Association filed suit this week to try to block the government from withholdings funds scheduled to be sent to every school district in the state. See a full list of aid holdbacks by school district, city and county.
A committee will create drafts of the budget, which Superintendent Bill Lynch will bring before the Board of Education for its review and comments. All school budgets in the state go before voters on May 18, 2010.
“When you consider that over the past six years, our city has suffered the loss of the Nestle Company, the Fulton Cogeneration Company and the A. L. Lee Memorial Hospital most recently, I feel we are fortunate to have been able to keep taxes as stable as they have been,” Mayor Ron Woodward said in a brief address at the start of the public hearing on the budget.
Legislators voted in favor of the budget plan on Tuesday night. They nixed several attempted to cut it a bit further. They also defeated a move to close the Hannibal Transfer Station.
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