Voters Speak Again, Approve Library Budget

Voters in Three Village showed their support for the Emma S. Clark Memorial Library on Wednesday, approving the proposed $4.5 million 2011 budget by a vote of 293 to 55.

"I'm very pleased," said acting library director Ted Gutmann. "I think it reflects what we always say: this is a great community to serve as a library."

By 7 p.m. Wednesday, about 200 people had shown up for the vote, which began at 2 p.m. When it closed at 9 p.m., support staff tabulated the results in less than ten minutes, pulling results from two voting machines and counting 51 absentee ballots for a total of 399 votes. Gutmann said the turnout was consistent with that of recent years; the 2010 budget was approved by a margin of 334 to 74 (408 voters).

The 2011 budget calls for a 1.64 percent increase over last year's figure of $4.37 million. The largest areas of increase came from rising social security, retirement, and benefit costs along with the inclusion of the MTA tax, which had been excluded from the previous year's budget. The budget also represents a small decrease in funds designated for books, periodicals, and electronic resources as well as a decrease in maintenance costs.

Residents who supported the budget raved about the library's programs and services, which recently earned it kudos as the No. 1 library in Suffolk.

"It's a great library," said Ada Sanchez-Perry of Stony Brook. "We wish we could do more for it."

Jean Meadow of Stony Brook thought the $4.5 million budget was reasonable "for this size library in a community this big."

Some voters thought turnout should have been higher.

"It's not very well publicized," said Jackie Fern of Setauket. "I don't think people are aware that the library budget vote is a separate thing."

Gutmann said the vote was publicized the same way it is every year: on the library's website and in its newsletter, which was released in mid-August.