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Money came from private trust fund established many years ago.
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Lebanon library officials are defending their decision to build a park behind their building on West Main Street.
Last week, Lebanon attorney Bill Duning criticized library officials on building the park at the same time they were asking voters to pass a tax levy.
Officials said the money to build the park has come from a private trust fund, established many years ago by Mary Will, and not from public tax dollars.
Library treasurer Lois Stovall said that the only tax money used for the park was in the purchase of the land behind the library in 1991. While that purchase price was $302,000, Stovall said that the library recouped those costs by renting the building out until 2002.
Stovall said three bronze statues of children that will adorn the park and cost $21,400 are being paid for by a gift made to the library in the 1920s by L.N. Bunnell that specified the money be spent on library decorations.
The Lebanon library is seeking a 1-mill property tax levy on the Nov. 3 ballot that would generate $870,511 annually for the library and cost the owner of a $100,000 home $30.63 per year.
Library director Julie Florence said that she has had to cut multiple programs and fears slashing more if the levy doesn’t pass due to drastically reduced funding from the state, the library’s principle financier. Florence said the library’s funding has been continually cut from $1 million in 2001 to an estimated $627,000 in 2010. At the same time, the demand for library services increased to its highest point ever in 2009.
Florence and Stovall also said that because of the downturn in the economy, the library was able to come in at nearly $89,000 less than the architect’s original estimate to construct the park.
“The park was not reckless spending,” Florence said. “It was a decision made over a matter of years and will benefit all of Lebanon.”
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4:17 PM, 10/31/2009
I'VE HAD PLANS FOR YEARS TO BY A BENZ BUT IF I CAN'T AFFORD IT AND I NEED THE MONEY FOR OTHER THINGS , THEN IT MAY GET PUT ON HOLD INDEFINATELY.
IF I WERE YOU , I WOULD PREPARE FOR ADDITIONAL CUTS !!
3:31 PM, 10/30/2009