The Free Press, Mankato, MN

Local News

Related Photos

  • Mickey Pongratz thumbs through a book Friday afternoon at the Blue Earth County Library. Pat Christman

    Library cuts.jpg

March 14, 2010

Mankato budget cuts could cripple library, senior center

City eyes 50 percent cuts

By Tim Krohn Free Press Staff Writer

MANKATO — Two high-profile and heavily used entities — the library and the Summit Center — are facing devastating budget cuts of as much as 50 percent, as Mankato prepares to deal with an expected $1.7 million reduction in state aid.

“I honestly don’t know what we’d do,” said Pam Determan, director of VINE, which operates the Summit Center. “It would be a huge challenge. We’re already running it as efficiently as we can.”

Tim Hayes, director of the Blue Earth County library, said he can’t even contemplate what a 50 percent reduction would mean.

“We were figuring a 10 to 15 percent cut, not 50,” Hayes said. “I think when the public gets to hearing about this, the City Council may hear some things about the value of the library.”

The proposed cuts, prepared by City Manager Pat Hentges, were presented to the council in a work session last week and have not been approved by the council. They are part of a host of proposed reductions to make up for an expected loss of $1.7 million in Local Government Aid as the Legislature and governor balance the state budget shortfall.

Under the plan, the city would reduce its payment to the library by $291,000, a cut from the $583,000 it provided the library this year.

Hayes doesn’t yet know what reduction in funding the county may propose for the library. The county, too, is expecting a LGA reduction. The county currently funds about $398,000 for the library.

For the Summit Center, the cut would be about $16,000. The Summit Center is also waiting to hear what North Mankato — which funds $12,000 a year — may do with its funding level.    

Determan said Mankato and North Mankato fund about $1 per capita for the Summit Center, while many other communities support their senior centers at much higher levels.

“Mankato has been historically low (in its support) and now it’s worse,” she said.

“The city has been getting a good deal. Once you take away the infrastructure, whether a library or senior center, it’s tough to get back,” Determan said.

VINE took over a struggling Summit Center nearly four years ago. “Participation has continued to grow and our outreach has grown. We’ve taken a senior center that was dying and revitalized it,” Determan said.

“The older people that stand to lose from this are the people who’ve paid taxes the longest and believed the community would help them, embrace them,” she said.

Everyone first has to wait to see what the Legislature and governor ultimately do with local funding cuts. The LGA reductions could be less, or more than local governments are anticipating.

Hayes said he hopes the county and city sit down before making final decisions. “We don’t want to get double-whammied.”

The library has already cut Sunday hours and made other reductions because of past funding reductions. The reductions come at a time when library use is growing.

“We’ve seen greater usage because of the economic times. People who used to go to Barnes and Noble check books out now. Some people cut their Internet service and come here to use the computers and check their e-mail,” Hayes said. 

And, he said, people look for jobs on the library computers. “Most jobs, now, you  have to apply online.

“Anytime the governor messes with LGA, it really impacts us,” Hayes said.

“The city and county, even though it’s been very difficult the past two years, they have been very supportive,” he said.

“A 50 percent reduction seems very severe.”

Text Only | Photo Reprints
Local News