Library moves money to fix broken elevator

For the first time in years, the Bartholomew County Public Library is asking for money to be moved to cover an unexpected expense.

Jason Hatton, the library’s director, made the request last night to the Bartholomew County Council to move $200,000 within the department’s budget to fix the broken elevator at the main library branch. Normally, the library acts as an independent body within county government and this is the first time in decades the library has asked to re-allocate money, Hatton said.

Normally the library would use money in its rainy day fund or a library improvement reserve fund for such a large unexpected expense but those funds have already been drawn down by a project to redo the flooring throughout the library, Hatton told the council. The request was to move money from the library’s operating reserves to cover the cost and will not involve money from outside the library funds, Hatton said. The library has a separate tax rate within the county property taxes that funds its operations.

The council approved the request last night.

Photo courtesy of Columbus Area Visitors Center