JUNE 6, 2025 |
Photo – Postcard addressed to Commissioners – Courtesy CC Commissioners
County Commissioners are concerned of impending state funding cuts while emphasizing that they have no authority over local library operations.
Recently enacted state property tax relief measures will reduce the county’s budget by at least $500,000 this year. As a result, Carbon County Commissioners instructed all county-funded departments, including the Library System, to anticipate less funding in the upcoming fiscal year, which begins July 1st.
As reported by Bigfoot99, representatives from the individual libraries within the Carbon County Library System have begun approaching their respective Town Councils to request additional funding. Most of the communities already provide water and sewer services for their county-owned library buildings. Some members of the Library Board of Directors have suggested that, without additional funding from municipalities, their local branches may be forced to close.
Speaking at the June 3rd Board of Carbon County Commissioners meeting, Commissioner Sue Jones clarified that the Board does not have the authority to close any individual library branches.
To combat the proposed budget cuts, the Carbon County Library System has printed postcards with slogans such as “Prioritizing libraries fosters a literate and educated society” and a quote from Professor of Librarianship at the University of Texas R. David Lankes stating that great libraries build communities. The public was encouraged to sign the postcards and send them to the Board of County Commissioners.
Speaking at Tuesday’s Board meeting, Commissioner Sue Jones said her constituents were concerned that the library was spending money it claimed not to have on postcards.
Bigfoot99 obtained copies of the postcards received by the Commissioners. The cards, some evidently written by children, urge the Board to maintain or increase funding for local libraries.
Commissioner Jones said she does not support closing any of Carbon County’s libraries. However, the recent property tax cuts have forced the Board to make difficult decisions about which services to fully fund. Commissioner Jones urged everyone to engage in politics to better understand how their local government is funded.
Commissioner Jones mentioned that the Friends of the Saratoga Library donated $1,000 to the town’s library and encouraged the other Friends organizations to do the same. Additionally, the Commissioner recommended rotating staff between the various branches to ensure their continued operation.
Carbon County Library System Executive Director Maria Wenzel clarified that, under state statute, Friends of the Library organizations cannot fund the daily operations of any library branch.
Commissioner Sue Jones questioned if the provision was a law or simply a policy written into the organization’s bylaws, which can be amended. The Commissioner emphasized the need to find novel ways to fund the library system.
Commission Vice Chairwoman Gwynn Bartlett asked Director Wenzel if she had explored the possibility of sharing employees with municipalities to save money and extend branch operating hours. Wenzel responded that such an arrangement may violate library policy and compromise users’ privacy.
Commissioner Vice Chairwoman Bartlett then asked if Wenzel had considered moving the library branches out of county-owned buildings and into facilities owned by municipalities. Library Director Wenzel said the Elk Mountain Library already occupies a town-owned building and Baggs, which has declined to fund water and sewer services for the library, does not have a suitable building to accommodate its local branch. Wenzel said Medicine Bow is the only town with a building suitable for housing the library, specifically the Medicine Bow Senior Center.
Commissioner Bartlett suggested exploring if the Medicine Bow Library could be relocated to the town’s community center should the senior center prove unsuitable.
The Board of Commissioners instructed Wenzel to continue searching for alternative ways to keep all the county library branches open.
Commissioner Sue Jones clarified that the county has appointed a Board of Directors to oversee the individual libraries. The Library Board, not the Commissioners, has the authority to close branches.
Commissioner Jones said the county is facing a very real funding shortfall. All county agencies must find new ways to offer similar levels of service with less money.
The Board of Carbon County Commissioners and Library Director Maria Wenzel acknowledged the importance of the library system and reaffirmed their commitment to preserving the existing libraries.
