Concerns arise over potential library funding

By Chris Edwards
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WOODVILLE – At its regular monthly meeting for April, the Tyler County Commissioners Court discussed changing the existing interlocal agreement that the county has between it and the Allan Shivers Library and Museum.

The county approved a change in the language of the long-standing agreement. Historically, the county has funded the library, along with two other entities: the City of Woodville and Woodville ISD.

The language that was changed to state that the county may fund it during the fiscal year, if funds allow for it and it is in the best interest of the citizens.

County Judge Milton Powers said, initially, the word “shall” was added, and acceptable in the agreement’s wording, according to counsel. In discussion among the commissioners and County Auditor Jackie Skinner, it was decided that the word “may” would be a better fit.

During the current fiscal year, the county has contributed $130K toward the library, and the last interlocal agreement between the three entities, in 2021, outlines the fiscal year funding cycle for the county’s contribution to the library, not with a set allotment, but with the period defined as Jan. 1 to Dec. 31 of each year, and that the three entities agree on the operation of the facility “for the benefit of all the people of Tyler County.”

Under the 2021 agreement, the county supplies the funds necessary to pay professional library and museum labor, books and supplies as budgeted.

Library director Kay Timme said the county’s contribution is around 75% of its budget. Timme said the interlocal agreement has been modified since its inception in 1963. Timme said she is concerned with the new wording and some of the comments that arose in discussion.

Some of the library’s funding comes from grant sources, but those are project specific, she said, such as the $100K TLL Temple Foundation Grant, which covered the cost and installation of an elevator, as well as rewiring.

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The City of Woodville, for its part, supplies funds for utilities and WISD supplies funds for custodial and maintenance services.

Timme said she is concerned for the future, given the verbiage approved by the commissioners, should there be a decision to not fund the library.

Also, she noted, any changes to the interlocal agreement must be approved by the library’s governing board and each of the entities that have a stake.

Timme said she is concerned that the wording, if it is approved by all of the entities concerned, could give future county leaders “an out” if they choose to not fund the library.

Powers said that the county is committed to funding the library. “We are very committed, as the Commissioners Court, to the Allan Shivers Library,” he said.

Skinner, who suggested the change of wording from “shall” to “may,” said that the allotment has never been a set amount, but that the county has committed to funding the library. She expressed concerns over the future, should the economy take a turn for the worst. “We don’t want to have to cut people first,” she said.

Pct. 1 Commissioner Joe Blacksher added that there was an increase given for the current fiscal year to the library funding.

Timme said that as library director, she wants the public to be aware of the variety of services offered by the library and museum, and for the public to continue to be able to utilize them.