The Lawrence Memorial District Library approved the 2025-2026 budget and discussed potential long term options to address the library’s future growth at the board’s regular meeting March 25.
The adopted 2025-2026 budget, showing estimated revenues and expenditures at $89,981, is slightly lower then the 2024-2025 budget that was adopted last March by the board ($92,357.02).
The Library’s largest source of revenue comes from a 10-year, .74 mill proposal approved by voters in 2022. Estimated revenues from the millage in Climax Township are listed at $66,842. Estimated millage revenue in Leroy Township is $12,842. Co-op reimbursement totaling $3,000, Kalamazoo County revenue totaling $2,700 and State aid totaling $2,687 are three other large sources of revenue for the Library.
The largest expense in the budget is projected payroll at $38,000, however some of the budgeted amount is not anticipated to be used.
The Library Board has built $25,000 in the budget for the Library Director salary, however Director Bill Lewis only takes a salary of $5,000, allowing the Library to make more purchases and provide more programming.
There are 6 part time employees plus the library director.
The Library Board would like to perform renovations in the children’s room at the library but a final plan and estimates have not been determined. The Library Board does not have a line item in the new budget for renovations, however Lewis said money for any renovations could come from carry over funding that is available in the recently expired budget.
The Library Board authorized renovations in the main section of the library that totaled approximately $12,000 last year that included new book shelves, new carpet and painting.
Budget amendments for the 2024-2025 budget were unanimously approved. The 2024-2025 fiscal year budget ended March 31, 2025.
With the library expanding services and the amount of material available to the public increasing, options to address potential future growth were discussed.
Library Board President Jamie Camp told the board and audience she contacted Langeland Funeral Homes about the status of the funeral home Langelands no longer uses in the Village. She said Langelands does not own the building and still has seven years on a 10 year lease remaining. She said the representative from Langelands she talked to was open about sub-leasing the building to the Library, however she didn’t feel a sub-lease would be a good option unless the library can secure a lease similar to what they have with the Village of Climax. A high volume of books and other materials would also need to be moved.
“They (Langelands) would have liked the idea to be having some sort of money in, but it wouldn’t have been a good situation for us. Maybe when they get out of the lease 10 years from now, if it could be a bigger location for us, who knows? At the end of the day, we love our location here, we are just limited on how much space we have. We’re just going to keep doing what we can within these four walls. We’re going to keep building what we have in the community. Things keep growing. See if there’s other options out there at another point. It’s nobody’s desire to want to move from this location.
But we do want to make sure we have the best space for our needs,” said Camp.
The Village Council approved a three-year lease with the Lawrence Memorial District Library Board March 4. The Village of Climax owns the building.
Under the new lease agreement the District Library Board will pay the Village of Climax $75 per month or a yearly rate of $900 for 2025. The 2026 rate will increase to $85 per month or $1,020 for 2026, and the 2027 rent will increase to $100 per month for an annual total of $1,200.
The lease may be terminated at any time with just cause by the Village with 120 days’ notice to the Library.
Library Director Bill Lewis said Overdrive checkout totals for the month of February was 140. There were 56 audio book checkouts, 64 magazines, and 20 books. There were 210 checkouts in the library and 223 checkins for a total of 433 and a combined total of materials used at the library of 573.
There were 170 adults that used the library in February, 30 juvenile and 28 children for a total of 236 patrons that came into the library in February. There were five children who attended story hour.
There were 46 children who participated in the Dolly Parton program in February. Overall 30 have graduated from Dolly Parton since the local library offered the program.
During the month of February patrons saved $2,965.32 by checking materials out of the library.
Lewis said library staff continues to work on book and database updates and relabeling.
In another item covered at the March 25 meeting, the Library Board expressed interest in having an insurance carrier representative explain a volunteer insurance program.
The treasurer’s report shows as of March 25 the library has $158, 220.87 in the checking account, $81,383.87 in the savings account, and $2,913.60 in the Wab-Teach account for a total of $242,518.34.
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