County agrees to one-time Longboat library grant

The latest chapter for the Longboat Library is a happy one.

The Sarasota County Commission approved a one-time grant of $20,000 for the independent, not-for-profit library for capital improvements.

The board agreed on the grant at a Thursday, Feb. 23 meeting, during which library representatives presented details about its history and operations. The board had discussed the funding request last month but directed staff to bring back the item for discussion with details about its budget.

Commissioner Joe Barbetta, who met with library representatives in January, told fellow board members that the request would be a one-time capital expense added in hopes that the Longboat Key Town Commission would add the library as a line item.

Commissioner Nora Patterson made a motion for a one-time transfer for the library.

“For me, there’s reluctance to support an additional library when we are shortening libraries for the rest of the county,” she said before making the motion. “I also have sympathy because it’s hard to get to the nearest public library. I can support $20,000 in capital needs as a one-time deal, because it’s coming from you guys working hard for the benefit of the community, and Longboat, frankly, asks for very little.”

Library board member Hazel Steskal was pleased with the grant. She said that the top priorities for the funds will be to make the restrooms more handicap-friendly and to replace a rotting fence and roof facia. The library will also replace its air-conditioner, which is at least 10 years old, and update its seven- to eight-year-old computers.

“These are things that we’ve put off because we don’t have the funds to do them,” said Steskal, who has said that the library is currently dipping into its reserves at a rate of approximately $7,000 a year and has no options to cut costs other than to stop buying books.

Steskal said that most of the updates will likely be completed by December. But, before that, the library will start on its next chapter: approaching the Town Commission for funding when budget hearings begin later this spring.