By PAULENE POPARAD

Westchester Public Library director Phil Baugher said Thursday it’s too early to tell what impact a new state law capping property taxes will have on the local library system.

He told the Library Board his best estimate is that WPL would lose $1,811 from its operating budget next year and $32,420 in 2010 under the HEA 1001 government-reform bill. While the township-based library is probably one of the best funded per capita compared to others in the area, said Baugher, as property values decrease so will the library’s income.

The library district’s current assessed valuation is $1.9 billion.

A key piece of the funding puzzle is whether HEA 1001 allows libraries to levy a separate Capital Projects Fund rate or whether the CPF would have to be included in the total operating levy. Experts disagree, said Baugher. “Right now no one knows how they’ll interpret that legislation.”

While some northwest Indiana libraries are mulling closing branches, cutting back on materials purchases, trimming salaries and not filling vacant staff slots, WPL is able to weather the coming storm for the time being, according to its director. “As you know we can be pretty good at that --- holding the line.”

Baugher was referring to the 2001 bankruptcy of Bethlehem Steel that eliminated most of WPL’s income until the steelmaker was sold and the tax crisis resolved three years later. In the interim cuts in service hours and deep staff cuts resulted.

On the director’s recommendation the Library Board voted unanimously to include a CPF levy in the 2009-2011 budgets and at the advertised amounts. No one commented during a public hearing Thursday. The CPF plan includes raising $249,329 in 2009 and $237,400 in both 2010 and 2011 based on a tax rate each year of $0.0121.

The Westchester Township Advisory Board, which meets May 7, also needs to approve the CPF plan as proposed. Baugher advised he’s begun working on the 2009 operating budget and a Library Board workshop on it is slated for May 29.

In addition to raising money, the Library Board talked about spending some last night.

It was agreed to obtain more information about replacing 520 original light fixtures at Thomas and Hageman libraries that are 33 years old. Baugher presented preliminary information but the projected overall savings for cooler, brighter, more energy-efficient lighting wasn’t as much as hoped. He noted that with the recent repainting that has taken place, areas generally look brighter because of that.

Closures in March for recarpeting helped keep circulation down by almost 1 percent at Thomas compared to a 21 percent jump in Hageman circulation last month. Year-to-date through March, weather and the remodeling led to a 12.65 percent drop in Thomas circulation to 81,009 materials over 2007; system-wide WPL posted a decrease of just under 11 percent.

Also through March of this year, public service units or individual opportunities for patron service increased by 5 percent over 2007. Circulation, WPL web page visits, program and meeting room attendance, museum activity, visitor count and computer use are among the PSUs tallied.

In other business, Baugher was authorized to get more information about downsizing the cooling units at Hageman. A consultant said the current one is much too large and the air conditioning doesn’t cycle long enough to extract moisture out of the building leading to a humidity problem there. The first-floor AC unit at Thomas will be updated after which the leaking roof will be replaced.

In a change of policy, the Library Board agreed by consensus to have WPL pay for a cell phone for new maintenance supervisor Jim Navarro, who does not have one. Baugher and board member Sharon Robbins said Navarro is often traveling between WPL’s four buildings or on library errands yet needs to be available. Phone usage will be restricted to WPL business only.

Approved were staff changes moving Tony Baruffi to maintenance to help Navarro and the hiring of pages Dustin Ritchea and Tonya Baruffi.

The Friends of the Library Book sale is coming April 18-20 at Thomas, it was announced, and May 8 the Library Board will meet at the WPL-operated Westchester Township History Museum, 700 W. Porter Ave. WPL assistant director Jane Walsh-Brown, museum curator, said May 17 the museum will celebrate its 10th anniversary.

She also said a limited number of tickets, available at the museum, are left for the popular Appraisal Luncheon April 20 at the Library Services Center, 100 W. Indiana Ave. All luncheon proceeds benefit the museum.

Posted 4/11/2008