Posted: 12:41 p.m.Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2015

Library renewal levy heading to May ballot

By Ed Richter

Staff Writer

BUTLER COUNTY — 

    Butler County taxpayers residingin the MidPointe Library System district will see a tax renewal levy on the May5 ballot.

    Middletown City Council, which serves asthe taxing authority for the MidPointe Library, approved placing the request onthe ballot to renew its current five-year, 0.75-mill operating levy at itsTuesday meeting. The library system has locations in Middletown,Trenton andWest Chester Twp.

    The 2010 levy generated just more than$2.97 million or about 40 percent of the library’s 2013 revenues. In 2013, thelibrary system received more than $7.85 million in revenues and had just morethan $7.06 million in expenses. The library also received $225,623 in fines andfees in 2013.

    If approved, the levy renewal wouldcontinue to cost the owner of a home valued at $100,000 about $21.44 annually,according to Deborah Preston, the library system’s fiscal officer.

    The levy renewal would ensure the librarysystem maintains services and materials at all of its locations as well as itsOutreach Services Department, Preston said.

    Prestontold council that approval of the levy renewal would allow for expansion ingrowing communities.

    In June, the MidPointe Library Systemannounced it would partner with Mount PleasantRetirement Villageto open a 2,100-square-foot, full-service library on the retirement campus at 1 Tennessee Ave. inMonroe.

    No opening date has been set, but thelibrary will use a $500,000 donation from an estate in Monroe— designated to support the establishment of a MidPointe Library in Monroe — that willsupport operations, technology and materials at the new location, libraryspokeswoman Cari Hillman told the Journal-News in June.

    While it is projected that state libraryfunding will remain stable, Library Director Anita Carroll said a levy failurewould force the library board “to make some serious decisions.”

    MidPointe has more than 128,360 librarycard holders across locations in Middletown, Trenton and West ChesterTwp.      The MidPointe Library Systemcirculated more than 3.74 million items across its three branches in 2013,including books, DVDs and downloaded material.