by David Flint
The Stephentown Library came close but didn’t get enough votes to become a Special Legislative District public library. After absentee ballots were counted on Tuesday afternoon the final vote count was 196 in favor and 208 opposed.
[private]Since the proposition was not approved, the election of seven Trustees to the proposed new library board became moot. The current Board of the Stephentown Memorial Library will remain in office.
On election day last week 371 votes cast at the Library and 29 absentee ballots already received were counted. The unofficial tally was 192 in favor and 208 opposed. Of the 23 absentee ballots still out, five were received by the deadline of March 26. One of these had to be disqualified because the postmark date could not be read. The other four were in favor of the proposal.
Changing the charter from an association library to a special legislative district public library included a budget proposal of $148,750 for which the tax levy would have been $125,000.
The Brunswick Library made a similar effort in September of 2010. That proposal was defeated much more soundly with a vote of 404 to 287.
The Library’s staff and Board of Trustees stated that they were gratified by the tremendous show of support for the Library as Town residents studied this issue. “We knew how hard it was for the people of Stephentown to contemplate a tax increase, even for an institution as important as the Library,” said Library Treasurer Pam Kueppers. “As stewards of the Library we had an obligation to ask the Town to weigh the value of the Library’s services against the additional tax to support services at the current level.”
Sue Brissette, Board President, noted, “A vote this close tells us that Stephentown recognizes and supports the contribution the Library makes to the economic, educational and cultural life of our community.”
Laurenne Teachout, Library Director, and Janet Ivory, Board Secretary, agreed saying, “We feel that the Town knows a lot more now about everything the Library does for Stephentown, and we’ve met new supporters along the way. It’s been a very positive experience.”[/private]