In the same week that Pennsylvania law makers cut an additional 9.1 percent to public libraries while committing $20 million in public funds to two libraries honoring two politicians, Quarryville Library Director Frances Vita visited Quarryville Borough Council to give council members a heads-up on next year's library funding.
Speaking during council’s July 6 meeting, Vita said volunteers in southern Lancaster County raised around $5,000 for the Quarryville Library through five special events in the first quarter of 2010. She said fundraisers are ongoing to help bolster the library’s $201,026 2010 budget, which had been cut by 30 percent.
Vita thanked the borough for its $9,900 donation for 2010. It was the largest municipal appropriation, and some municipalities in the southern end had to cut their library appropriations.
“We just recently found out about the 9.1 percent cut, so a plan still needs to be discussed with the Lancaster County Library director and Quarryville’s library board,” Vita said after the meeting.
Vita said the library will have to add more volunteer fundraisers for 2011, and the library is thankful for all the volunteer help with events such as a Go-Fore Golf day, antique appraisal fair, and national passport day. A business, Hart’s Landscaping, also gave deeply discounted snow removal during the blizzards.
Vita, however, said while fundraising is a large part of the library budget, it is not a stable source and won’t cover recent cuts.
Pennsylvania law makers recently gave budget approval to $20 million for two libraries honoring two outgoing politicians, $10 million for Arlen Specter Library Project Center at Philadelphia University, and $10 million for the late John P. Murtha Center for Public Policy in Johnstown.
In other action during their meeting, council approved hiring Arro engineers for three projects. The firm will do a study and prepare a report recommending whether to raise the borough’s water tapping fee.
Arro will also survey in front of Sam’s Pizza on State Street and make parking recommendations, and conduct a speed study on West State Street.
Council member Mike Sullenberger said the streets committee is considering recommending a project for 2011 which would redo Fourth Street to Church Street, and sections of Stanton and Summit avenues. The project could cost three quarters of a million dollars or more, and he said the streets committee would like to be able to offer residents options for financing since borough ordinance requires residents to install sidewalks at the time of construction.
Council took no action on Cedar Knoll Builders request to remove an infiltration trench in Quarry Ridge.
“I’m 100 percent against this,” said council President Bob Landis. “It was approved on plans and by the county planning commission. We don’t have the authority to take it away.”
Council directed Borough Manager Al Drayovitch to get an answer in writing from the county about the issue.
Mayor Joy Kemper, chairman of the police committee, said she had heard some community comments that “Quarryville must be getting bad,” and that residents need to worry about random violence following a June 18 burglary and assault. Kemper said Chief Ken Work believes the victims, Guatemalan males, were specifically targeted by other Guatemalans.
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