KOSSUTH COUNTY, Iowa — Following a massive proposed library budget cut, concerned Iowans attended the Kossuth County Board of Supervisors meeting on Monday to speak out about the need for libraries in the area.
Kossuth County Auditor Tammy Eden told Local 5 the area's 12 libraries have received funding in the past from Tech Grants and divided payments, which are partially based off city population.
In FY 2024, libraries received:
- Tech Grant: $72,000
- Divided payment: $201,245
- Total: $273,245
And in FY 2025:
- Tech Grant: $85,000
- Divided payment: $0
- Total: $85,000
"At this time, with the budget the board approved this morning, each city in the county will receive $7,083.33," Eden told Local 5.
That's a major drop off in funds — one Kossuth County residents aren't happy with.
"It's sad, I don't know how we got here," said Sandy Long, director of Whittemore Public Library. "That's everybody's question: How did we get here? And so sudden? And nobody can answer that."
Long describes these budget cuts coming as a "total shock".
The 4th District Supervisor, Kyle Stecker, fielded most of the questions and comments for the board, explaining that, as the current budget proposal was written, nothing can be done to change the library's allocation.
"$7,000 doesn't even keep the lights on and the internet paid for, and so now our cities are also scrambling wondering what they're supposed to do with a 75-ish percent cut," said Lany Mitchell, president of the Kossuth County Library Association.
Multiple library directors attended the meeting and emphasized the role libraries play in communities during the more-than-hour-long public comment.
"We're not only offering library services, we are bus stops, we are a safe place for parents to have their children wait for them to come get them after school," the Lu Verne Library Director said. "The mean income in Lu Verne is much lower obviously, so we provide a lot of services for free to these families because they simply cannot afford to have home internet, they can't afford to do these things."
The Fenton Library Director said this new budget would force it to close "without question".
Click here to view the full FY 2025 budget.
Many at the meeting wondered where the libraries' money was headed, and why citizens weren't made aware of the cuts.
According to Stecker, the changes were made to make the rural city services fund last longer than the projected three years, as maintaining the library’s current budget would allegedly put them in a deficit of $735,000.
Board members apologized for not announcing that the upcoming budget had been set, but clarified that, by state law, it was too late to change it.
"Today, we can't just make a motion to restore funding," Stecker said. "We don't have that ability with what was published."
Many of the library and city leaders are left wondering what could come next for small communities, fearing the implications of the cuts.
"You lose your schools, you lose your churches, you lose your libraries. What do you have left in town to bring new people in?" Mitchell said. "Who wants to move here and live here when there is nothing here to do?"
Whittemore City Clerk Linda K. Farrell has witnessed her town lose things like the school and grocery stores and said these library cuts are a similar situation.
"Pretty soon there won't be a small community left anywhere in the state if it continues like it has been," Farrell said.
But Stecker and fellow board members do have the ability to add an amendment to the budget once the fiscal year begins on July 1, 2024. In that amendment, board members could restore the library’s budget to its previous level by reallocating around $200,000 of the secondary road budget.
The proposed budget passed unanimously on Monday and was finalized Tuesday morning.
Kossuth County Board of Supervisors member, Carter Nath told Local 5 on Wednesday:
"I believe libraries are important centers for community especially in our rural Iowa small towns. I and the rest of the Kossuth County Board of Supervisors will be looking at reconsidering funding our library services in the form of a budget amendment at our regular meeting on Tuesday, July 9th."
The board members unanimously voted to reconvene on July 9, 2024, where they will discuss adding an amendment to restore library funding.
The Wesley Public Library shared the following on Facebook Monday:
"Today, despite our best efforts, did not go as we hoped it would have. While the Supervisors said they would meet again in July to discuss (possibly) re-funding our libraries in Kossuth County, that is not guaranteed. Thank you to those of you in Kossuth County who packed the room today and spoke in support of our 12 libraries. We are thankful for you."
You can watch Monday's full meeting at this link.