LEWISTON — The proposed municipal budget for the coming year would eliminate one of two safety monitors at the Lewiston Public Library, leading some officials to question whether the existing security will be enough.
However, according to library Director Joseph Houston, one of the positions has been vacant for some time and contracted security hired due to the vacancy will be made permanent in the new budget.
During budget talks, Mayor Carl Sheline has advocated for the city to retain both monitors, saying coverage is limited as is.
“The recent council decision to remove funding for a library building monitor position is extremely shortsighted and threatens the safety and well-being of our library staff and patrons,” Sheline he said in a statement Thursday. “I urge the council to work together and find a way to restore this vital position.”
Asked Thursday, Houston said the library entered into a temporary security contract this past year due to the difficulty of keeping both monitor positions filled. He said his proposal was to make the temporary arrangement permanent in next year’s budget.
“In that proposal, the library was willing to concede one of the building monitor positions to achieve the addition of the security contract if necessary,” he said.
The building monitors are for 19 hours per week, and the proposal for contracted security is for 20 hours per week. Houston said the library has had only one monitor actively on staff for roughly 36 of the past 42 weeks.
During the council’s budget discussion Tuesday, the majority of the council appeared to agree with Houston’s proposal, but there was some debate, including from council President Scott Harriman, who said he was also concerned about cutting the second position.
He said a series of public restrooms that will likely be included in next year’s budget “could really help” with some library issues, but it will take awhile before they are installed.
“I wonder about the wisdom of removing that (position),” he said.
According to police, there were 60 calls for service between Jan. 1 and April 10 of this year and they responded to all but five of them.
Acting City Administrator Brian O’Malley said there has been a “significant decrease in calls” since the contracted security was brought in, and library officials like “the hybrid model of having security and a monitor.”
He said the second monitor position could be reconsidered in the 2025-26 budget, depending on how the next year goes.
However, Sheline encouraged councilors to keep the position in the budget for the coming fiscal year, which begins July 1. “In the grand scheme of things we’re going to be saving $15,000, which, compared to many other things, is not a lot and this will make a tremendous difference to the library.”
BUDGET REFLECTS TAX INCREASE
The council will conduct final budget deliberations Tuesday before a scheduled first reading on the fiscal 2025 budget.
As it stands, the proposed budget would increase the property tax rate by $3, to $33 per $1,000 of assessed valuation.
The proposed school budget represents the majority of the increase at $2.39, while the municipal budget accounts for 42 cents and the county assessment 19 cents.
The annual school budget referendum will take place May 14.
The council did not discuss the proposed $111.19 million school budget this week, but did comment on the impending tax rate increase.
Councilor David Chittim, commenting on the overall budget for next year, said Lewiston is “looking at some severe structural problems” with city finances, with fixed costs, “a limited tax base,” and constraints both self-imposed and imposed by the state.
“We need to do some serious reconsideration on how we fund this city,” he said.
Councilor Josh Nagine said he’s concerned with tax increases and expanding Lewiston’s tax base, especially with a citywide reevaluation underway and slated for implementation in fiscal year 2027.
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