FARMINGTON — The Budget Committee voted 5-1 Wednesday to reaffirm its recommendation of $165,945 for the Farmington Public Library this year.

The committee met unexpectedly to review its recommendation, after the Board of Selectmen on Tuesday recommended $157,723 for the library.

The library requested $187,094.

Budget Committee members Peter Tracy, Beth Edwards, Judith Murphy, Chairman Clyde Ross and Fred Smith voted to keep the same amount; Lloyd Smith voted against it.

To operate the library under either recommendation, library Director Maurie Stockford said staffing positions and hours will be cut, including a staff person who handles interlibrary loans and three aides.

Interlibrary loans amount to 2,000 items a year borrowed for patrons rather than purchased, she said. If voters accept the recommendations, Stockford was unsure how the program would be handled.

Under the Budget Committee’s recommendation, additional summer staff to help run a reading program involving 200 children would be saved. It would be cut under selectmen’s recommendation.

The remaining four employees would be cut back to 30 hours a week, including Stockford, under both proposals.

Stockford said she and her staff preferred to be cut back to 30 hours with lower wages than to lose their health insurance.

Under either funding recommendation, library hours would change.

Considering employees who work another job and accessibility for patrons, Stockford said proposed hours would be from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday under the committee’s recommended amount or from 11 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday under the Board of Selectmen recommendation.

abryant@sunmediagroup.net

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