News

KRL now on solid financial footing

t Spending matches income one year after levy defeat.

Nearly one year after voters defeated a levy lift, the Kitsap County Library system has cut its costs and cleaned up its finances.

We are getting our spending in line with our income, said KRL Director Jill Jean. Before, we always had the ability to get the money we needed in order to expand or do whatever we wanted to do. Now, the economy is worsening, and we are hearing that we need to live within our means like everybody else.

The most noticeable cost-cutting measures were implemented in January, with a cutback in hours and a fine increase. Jean said the measures had already saved money, and predicted that branch hours will be cut again. This corresponds with an increase in the self-service aspect of the library, where patrons will check out their own books using automatic machines.

We are not filling a number of vacant positions, Jean said. So we are saving a lot of money on staffing.

One of the biggest savings was not replacing Administrative Services Director Fernando Conill, who retired. While Conills human resources responsibilities were distributed among existing staff, his budgeting work was assumed by Bob Goldstein, a Seattle resident who was hired as the part-time chief financial director.

Jean, who worked with Goldstein in the Seattle Public Library system, credited his ability to help the system operate within the budget.

He has given us hope, she said. If we get our spending in line it will postpone our needing to go to the voters for more money.

Since losing last Mays vote the KRL board has repeatedly discussed the if and when of another levy attempt. For a time, it appeared it would go for another vote in 2007, but then decided to wait.

Jean said another levy attempt would occur, adding that it would probably be the last time KRL would be able to float such a proposal. For that reason, she said she would not make this attempt until all possible spending has been cut and we have done everything we can to save money.

I hate cutting hours and raising fees, she said. But we must do these things in order to stay within our means.

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