The Decatur Public Library is facing a crisis:
- The library has not received an increase in funding from the City of Decatur in five years. We are told this year will be no different. Inflation makes this an 11% cut for the last five years.
- The Morgan County Commission is proposing to cut Wheeler Basin libraries by 8% or $6,886.00. Last year, the libraries were cut a total of 25% (with Hartselle’s withdrawal). The Libraries now receive only 39.9% of what the Morgan County Commission gave ten years ago (counting inflation).
- The library must maintain local government support to continue receiving state aid and federal grants. A library can ask for a waiver the first year of local cuts but the second year the library loses state and federal funding.
If the County doesn’t reconsider, and the City does not make up the nearly $7,000.00 that the County is cutting, the library will lose more than $14,430.00 in state funds and $25,000.00 in federal grants.
What does this mean to you? - The materials budget will be cut by 75%. Fewer new books, DVDs, audio books, or magazines.
Please write a letter
to the City Councilmen and County Commissioners telling them how important the library is to you and asking them to please support it. Addresses are below.
If Decatur Public Library is important to you, it's time to tell someone. The library's future depends on it!
Thank you.
Decatur City Council
The Honorable Don Kyle
Mayor of Decatur
P.O. Box 488
Decatur, AL 35602
dkyle@decatur-al.gov
Mr. Billy Jackson
1203—2nd Street SW
Decatur, AL 35601
wejackson@decatur-al.gov
Mr. Gary Hammon
2801 Peabody Circle
Decatur, AL 35603
ghammon@decatur-al.gov
Mr. Ronny Russell
1707 Iris Street SW
Decatur, AL 35601
rrussell@decatur-al.gov
Mr. David Bolding
608 Ferry Street
Decatur, AL 35601
dbolding@decatur-al.gov
Mr. Ray Metzger
Cycles Unlimited
902 Beltline Road
Decatur, AL 35603
rmetzger@decatur-al.gov
Morgan County Commission
The Honorable John Glasscock, Chair
Morgan County Commission
P.O. Box 668
Decatur, AL 35602
Mr. Kevin Murphy
1694 Hwy. 55 East
Falkville, AL 35622
Mr. Jeff Clark
2626 Central Parkway
Decatur, AL 35603
Mr. Stacy Lee George
423 Union Hill Road
Somerville, AL 35670
Mr. Richard Lyons
550 Shull Road
Hartselle, AL 35640
