Dismay as Wheatland County council votes to withhold library funding

By Laureen F. Guenther Times Contributor

On April 16, Wheatland County councillors evoked responses of shock and dismay when they voted to withhold from the county’s libraries the funding allocated to them in the 2019 budget.
Beth-Anna Van Dellen, a high school teacher and a mother of three young children, who lives with her family south of Standard, started an online petition at change.org, urging Wheatland council to change their decision.
“Have you watched the videotape of the way this was decided?” asked Van Dellen. “That probably bothers me as much as the fact that they cut the funding in the first place. It was very nonchalant, hardly a four-minute discussion, and someone on that council actually said that it was a ‘good day’ because of all the money they were saving. Unbelievable.”
According to Wheatland County Councillor Ben Armstrong, “things aren’t as rosy out there as people think they are. Executive was tasked with the job of finding a reduction of $600,000 in the budget.” Armstrong admitted he has never used the library services in the county. “I go more by what the members bring back from the (library) committee board and make my decision on that.”
Councillor for Division 7, Armstrong said local residents hadn’t contacted him about the issue. “I have not received one call (about this vote) out in this area. That’s why it’s on the back burner for me.”
County Reeve Amber Link, councillor for Division 2, said she represents Wheatland County on the Marigold Library System board, the governing board for libraries in Carseland and Gleichen. Libraries in Hussar, Rockyford, Standard and Strathmore have their own library boards.
“I support the decision of council,” Link said in a prepared statement. “However, I will note I personally voted in favour of continued financial support for the libraries serving Wheatland County.”
Division 6 Councillor Glenn Koester was attending a conference on behalf of the Wheatland Housing Management Body on April 16, so he was absent when the vote was taken.
“I don’t know what their rationale was,” he said. “I’m pretty sure everyone out there that knows me knows that I support libraries.”
Jason Wilson, Division 1 councillor, said he doesn’t disagree that libraries are an essential part of the community. “However, I do disagree with subsidizing the user of that service. I believe in a user-pay system. Many of our libraries within our municipality’s boundaries have zero or very low fees. Individuals should be responsible for paying for the services that they require,” he said. “I do believe we as council can meet in the middle with the service users to find a way to be more fiscally responsible and efficient when providing such services.”
The Strathmore Times invited each of the other three Wheatland County councillors to comment on the issue, but they declined.
Darcy Burke, Mayor of Rockyford, was dismayed by the decision.
“Wheatland County approved their 2019 operating budget with the allotment of funding in it for libraries, so it is not as though the funding is not available,” Burke said. “The funding has already been approved. But for whatever reason, they have decided to hold that funding. That is fundamentally not right.
“Libraries operate on a shoestring budget,” he added. “They’re probably the most fiscally responsible organization I can speak of.”
He said he can see no valid reason for council’s decision. If he had to cut budget areas, libraries would be “the very last spot” he’d consider.
“Wheatland County reported to us at a regional partnership meeting that they were able to lower their mill rate,” Burke said. “So you’re obviously telling me that there was no budget constraint issue. This (vote) is not about funding. There is something else at play here.”
Additional feedback was swift and critical.
“I was very shocked,” said Elaina Geeraert, library board chair of the Rockyford library. “I do hope that they revote.”
“We were quite surprised,” said Trish McLeod, Gleichen Library manager who added there was “just a two-line letter,” no discussion prior to the vote. “We’ve had a phenomenal response (of concern) from the community, from Siksika and Gleichen town itself.”
“I was surprised and disappointed,” by council’s decision, said Bonita Hudson, a volunteer in the Rosebud Museum which houses a small lending library. Hudson wrote a public Facebook post, urging Wheatland residents to contact their councillors about this vote. “It seemed a short-sighted decision based on the assumption that everyone can afford, and prefers, digital access to information.”
Lori Bach, chair of the Standard Library board, also saw the news as unwelcome, but she found a silver lining in it. “While of course we were disappointed to hear of this motion, it is providing an opportunity to highlight what libraries contribute to our communities and the importance of this service to our patrons.”
The library in Standard, open three days a week, 900 hours a year, offers diverse community programming and services in addition to book-lending. Its children’s programs include weekly events, a summer reading program, and larger events such as last year’s sleepover at Blackfoot Crossing and farm visits planned for this year. It also provides free high-speed internet access and a wide range of online resources.
“We are fortunate to be able to serve all members of our community,” Bach said. “The biggest impact our library has, and frankly, libraries in general, is being a part of our community, which is especially important in our rural areas.”
Geeraert agreed. “There’s everyone from (ages) zero to 100 that walks through our doors,” she noted, adding the library’s mission statement describes it as a community hub, a safe and comfortable place for everyone to come.
Rockyford library has over 100 library card members, but the library has many programs that don’t require a library card, including a monthly book club, a craft group, adult paint nights, family paint days, sign nights and craft nights. The library hosts an annual children’s art camp and a drama camp, and a weekly mom and tot group.
“It’s really important for kids to come into the library and have those opportunities (to experience books) and for moms to get together, especially when their kids are little,” Geeraert said. “If a child is exposed to (a certain number of) books … before they turn five, then they’re more likely to go to post-secondary college, more likely to do better in school. There’re proven facts that kids who are exposed to early literacy and early reading are just set up a little bit better. Just walking into a library gets them exposed to that many books.”
McLeod said Gleichen Library also offers a wide range of programs in addition to lending print and electronic resources. The library offers computer use, DVD trade-ins, and low-cost sales and give-aways of donated books.
“For 139 years, there’s been a library in Gleichen,” she said. The funding from the county might be a “pittance” to the county, “but it’s everything to us. This is the major place in town. “For people who have (small) children, it’s a destination.” Older children come in to watch movies, play games or access social media. Adults use the internet for work and business.
Bach said if the county’s decision isn’t reversed, they will be working to replace the funding. “Our board hosts three major fundraising events each year … to be able to maintain our services and our building. Finding another source for lost funding will be a challenge.”
Geeraert said they do not want to cut their hours or services due to the funding loss. “I actually worry more about some of the other communities. I hope they don’t have to cut anything. Because there are people in these small communities who don’t drive or don’t have internet and for them, this is huge.”
The public is invited to the next Wheatland County council meeting on May 21, at 1 p.m., to discuss library funding. Written submissions can be emailed to amber.link@wheatlandcounty.ca or brian.henderson@wheatlandcounty.ca.
“I feel so very strongly that Wheatland County needs to review this (decision),” said Burke. “Good open discussion should happen before decisions are made. Ensure that you have got all the facts. Ensure you understand the impact it’s going to have on communities. (Wheatland County) should have maintained that funding and maybe they should have increased that funding.
“I would also encourage Wheatland County councillors to go to a library, to visit the local library and see what’s being offered there. I think that would be a good step for all of them.
“Maybe they should take a tour of the libraries they fund and have a little look. I think they’ve got to get educated.”