By Jodie Tillman, Times Staff Writer
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
Just a month ago, closing Centennial Library in Holiday seemed like a done deal.
Not anymore.
County commissioners on Tuesday indicated they might be willing to reconsider the cost-cutting proposal after hearing from library patrons who had collected nearly 3,000 petition signatures to keep Centennial open.
"Once you close a library," said New Port Richey resident Gabriella Banks, "it is an indictment of the county."
Angelina Harrington, a 3-year-old girl with bouncing pigtails, got a lift from her mom so she could speak into the microphone: "Save our library," she said.
"This library has really resonated," said Commissioner Jack Mariano, comparing the outpouring of patrons to that of the military veterans who last year successfully fought off budget cuts to the county office that helps them with benefits.
Closing Centennial is expected to save about $280,000, mostly due to the elimination of the 10 positions that staff the library on Moog Road, library director Linda Allen has said.
Those staffers will be moved into other library positions that had been left vacant due to a hiring freeze. Officials' calculation of savings is based on the premise that they would unfreeze those positions.
County officials say they also will get some savings by moving employees from other departments out of leased space — such as the offices at Grand Boulevard and Trouble Creek Road — and into the Centennial building.
The Centennial Library is about 3 miles from the larger South Holiday branch on Mile Stretch.
Commissioner Michael Cox asked county staffers to follow up on a proposal from residents to explore whether cutting hours at the two Holiday libraries would save as much money.
Commissioner Ann Hildebrand noted that Centennial was the first one built after a bond passed that financed most of the quality-of-life improvements.
"There is not anybody on this dais who wants to see that Centennial Library closed," she said. "But we have a huge budget deficit."
She tacked on a bit of hope for the Centennial patrons, though: "We're not through with our budget yet."
Jodie Tillman can be reached at jtillman@sptimes.com or (727) 869-6247.