Village hopes to save library deal with town

Grafton village officials, who were notified by the Town of Grafton recently that the town is withdrawing from the joint library agreement that outlines everything from how much each community pays for library services to the makeup of the governing board, are hoping they can renegotiate the pact.

“I am hoping it is simply that they would like to revisit the vintage 1986 agreement,” Village Administrator Jesse Thyes said. “If the town has concerns, let’s have a discussion. The library is an amazing amenity for the town and the village.”

Library Director Amanda Kloppmann concurred, saying she hopes they can work out an agreement.

“I think that’s in the best interests of both the town and village and everyone who uses the library,” she said. “I’m very hopeful we can sit down and come to an agreement that everyone’s happy with so we can continue to provide great services to the village and town.”

The Town Board on April 10 voted unanimously to withdraw from the agreement, primarily due to concerns about the amount of money the library cost taxpayers, Town Chairman Lester Bartel said.

After the Town Board approves the meeting minutes in May, they will send a copy to the village with the official notice that they’re withdrawing from the agreement, he said, adding the town has to do this by August in order to terminate the agreement next year.

The agreement specifies that a one-year notice must be given if one party withdraws from it.

“We’ve been thinking about it since fall,” Bartel said, noting that this year the town’s share of the cost went up about $40,000.

“I have a finite budget. We pride ourselves on being good stewards of the taxpayers money, but it’s hard to do that when you have a budget you have no control over.

“This is in no way disparaging the library. It’s a wonderful thing, but I just don’t see any concern from the people at the library that they need to get their budget in line.”

The library budget is controlled by the Grafton Library Board, which includes representatives of the village and town, Thyes said, adding this year’s budget was unanimously approved by the panel.

Kloppmann said that this year’s budget went up significantly, spurred by unavoidable expenses such as increases in health insurance, wages and an $87,000 bill to repair the library’s heating, ventilation and air conditioning system.

“We have to offer competitive wages and health insurance,” Kloppmann said, noting insurance has increased 16% over the past two years.

And the HVAC system is vital to the library, she added, noting, “We can’t control our HVAC system dying. It’s all part of having an older building.”

Under the terms of the agreement, the town pays 23% of the library cost, a percentage based on the number of town residents who hold library cards, Kloppmann said.

For 2024, the town’s share of the library budget is $210,288, she said, while the village’s share is $928,516.

But while Kloppmann said town officials let her know they weren’t thrilled with the increase, she said she didn’t expect the town would withdraw from the agreement.

Kloppmann said she hasn’t figured out the impact of the town’s withdrawal on the library’s budget.

“I just don’t know what that would mean if they fully pulled out,” she said. “It makes me nervous.”

For the town, it would mean residents would have to pay an additional tax to Ozaukee County that is levied on communities without libraries.

That fee is intended to reimburse libraries for services they provide to town residents.

While the Grafton library would receive an additional amount from the county for services it would provide to town residents, Kloppmann said she doesn’t know how much that will amount to.

“It will help,” she said. “But I don’t know exactly what that number will be.”

In a letter to Town Clerk Sara Jacoby, Ozaukee County Administrator Jason Dzwinel said the additional tax charged to the town would be close to the amount that the town currently taxes for library services.

“Looks like the agreement amount is close to the tax amount so there might be some small saving, but it is close to dollar for dollar,” Dzwinel wrote.

And, he noted, the town must spend the same amount or more in a joint municipal library agreement than it would if it were assessed the county library tax, according to state law.

Village officials are hoping they can renegotiate the library agreement with the town, but Bartel said he’s not sure that will happen.

“There’s no amending that agreement to make it palatable,” he said, because it would require such significant changes. “You have to start all over.

“We’re open to a new agreement with the village.”

Whether that can happen before next year is another matter, he said.

“I don’t see that as likely, but I don’t slam the door on it,” Bartel said.