Smaller Library Branches Face Partial Closures City Council Gets Tight Budgets For Library, Parks

The city’s three smallest library branches may have to close an extra day each week if the Spokane Public Library doesn’t get more help in the 1999 city budget.

“We have already cut so much out, there are no alternatives,” said library director Aubrey George.

If the City Council doesn’t approve a proposed 6 percent property tax levy, the library may not receive a $240,000 budget increase it is seeking, said George.

The shortfall could mean closing the library’s Indian Trail, Eastside and Hillyard branches an additional day each week.

“It’s wait-and-see. We won’t know until they pass the budget,” said George. “Until the council votes, I can’t say that we’re all right.”

Tight budgets for both the library and the Spokane Parks and Recreation Department were presented to the council Monday night.

The $12 million Parks and Recreation budget has already been approved by the parks board. It includes increases for golf fees, and fees for Shadle Park pool’s wavepool system, which will be installed next month.

There are no other proposed rate increases for parks programs. Riverfront Park is the department’s main source of income, said Ange Taylor, Parks and Recreation director.

More than 50 percent of the parks department budget goes to pay salaries and benefits for 82 full-time and seasonal employees.

The department’s budget was especially hard hit by the minimum wage increase recently approved by voters.

Taylor said if the department pays just 50 cents more than minimum wage to attract better workers, it increases the total budget by $165,000, the equivalent of 12 employees.

Vandalism at parks is also cutting into the budget, he said. There has been more than $100,000 worth of damage to city parks in 1998.

The biggest bite out of the 1999 budget is $300,000 to move the parks department to the city’s new operations complex in the Garry Park neighborhood.

Taylor said the department will move to the new site in September.

The full city budget for 1999 has now been presented to the City Council. Final public hearings will be held Monday. Council members are expected to adopt the budget by Nov. 30.

During the public comment period, several people expressed concerns that the proposed budget doesn’t include an increase in the number of police officers.

“We need to get our police up to national standards,” said one speaker.

Mike Edwards, president of the Downtown Spokane Partnership, proposed alternatives to increasing downtown parking meter rates, including switching to diagonal parking to create more space.

Edwards also proposed postponing the increases until later in the year when River Park Square is closer to opening and there is more vitality downtown.

In other council action, a proposed resolution supporting expansion of the Spokane Convention Center sparked debate among council members.

The resolution passed 4-2 with Councilwoman Cherie Rodgers and Mayor John Talbott opposed.

Talbott said he was concerned about funding for the project, and objected to spending money on a new facility when there isn’t money for road improvements.

Rodgers said the resolution locks in one particular site when the council hasn’t yet approved the proposed downtown plan.

Edwards, from the downtown partnership, said the Spokane Falls site is the preferred location in the proposed downtown plan which will be presented to the public in January.

Councilwoman Phyllis Holmes said economic development, such as expanding the Convention Center, can help increase the general budget and provide money for street repairs.