The Kanawha County Public Library system's board voted Monday to cut eight of the St. Albans branch's weekly operating hours, and close on Saturdays.
A resolution approved in a voice vote with no nays heard stated that the reduction is in response to the St. Albans City Council's March decision to reduce its annual support for the branch from about $97,000 to $50,000. The city's 2016-17 fiscal year budget anticipates decreased business and occupation tax revenue and decreases in other revenue, plus increased costs for things like liability insurance, which is expected to jump $75,000.
The resolution states that a past agreement between the library system and St. Albans indicates the city should pay the system nearly $125,000 next fiscal year, which starts July 1, to support the branch there.
"Beginning in the 2011-2012 fiscal year and continuing through the 2015-2016 fiscal year the City of St. Albans has consistently budgeted and remitted less than the level of support called for in the Agreement," the resolution states.
Effective July 1, the branch will close at 8 p.m. - one hour earlier - on Mondays and Tuesdays. System board member Anne Ray Silbernagel, who teared up as she explained the decision to cut hours, said those are the least-busy nights. The branch will stay open until 6 p.m. - one hour later - on Fridays, which Silbernagel said are more busy, and will be closed Saturdays.
The new weekly hours for the branch will be 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday and Tuesday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Thursday and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday.
"We find no joy in reducing hours," board President Cheryl Crigger Morgan said. "That's not what we're about. We're about increasing services and increasing hours. This is something that comes from outside the organization. This is a direct response to a budget cut."
Morgan directed the board's Public Services Committee at a meeting last month to explore how best to reduce services for the branch in a way that would soften the blow as much as possible. That was the same meeting during which the full board approved a 2016-17 budget that includes what Morgan called "modest" pay increases for employees that will add about $47,000 in payroll costs for the upcoming fiscal year.
She said the library system wasn't in a financial position to fully adopt the suggestions of a recent employee compensation study.
Also Monday, the board:
n Spent time in closed session discussing its main library branch project, which could result in moving the main branch from its current location on Charleston's Capitol Street. Morgan and library system Director Alan Engelbert declined to discuss details about possible locations with a reporter, but they said the system's architect team is now "test fitting" three sites. Morgan said the goal is for the board to select a site by late fall.
n Heard a report from its nominating committee recommending that Monika Jaensson be named the new board president, Ben Thomas be the new first vice president and Stephanie Haden be the new second vice president. The board plans to vote on the nominations July 1. Morgan, who has been president for two years, said personal reasons will prevent her from having enough time to continue as the leader, though she said she will remain on the board and will "serve however I'm asked."
n Heard a report from Engelbert that the movement of the system's catalog and circulation system from a server to the Internet "cloud" will mean some online services won't be available from July 25 through 27, including the ability for people to place holds on checked-out items in order to reserve them for themselves to check out once they're been returned.
Reach Ryan Quinn at ryan.quinn@wvgazettemail.com, 304-348-1254, facebook.com/ryanedwinquinn or follow @RyanEQuinn on Twitter.