Libraries, women's shelter seek money for 2010-11

Supporting libraries and a women's shelter are some of the first requests for money in 2010-11 to come before the Plymouth County Supervisors.

During a Tuesday meeting, representatives from Plymouth County's libraries and from The Bridge, a transitional living place for women and children, submitted their 2010-11 budget askings to the board of supervisors.

The libraries are asking for a $3,000 increase from last year -- a total of $70,000 for 2010-11.

"When you advocate better public library services, you advocate for bettering the quality of life for Americans today and in the future," said Jeannie Frerichs, Akron Library director.

People rely on libraries when they can't afford to keep up with technological advances, she said.

"The most important advancement is that all libraries have computers for everyone to use," Frerichs said. "These are used during these tough, trying times every day for job searches, preparing resumés, taking tests and entertainment."

Out of 19 northwest Iowa counties, Plymouth County is the second-lowest in per-capita support for county libraries.

In Plymouth County, per-capita support is about $6.75. The average in northwest Iowa is $16.20 per capita.

Plymouth County also ranks 80th out of Iowa's counties, Frerichs said.

A proposed change in the way dollars are allocated to Plymouth County's libraries resurfaced during Tuesday's discussion as well.

In October, Le Mars Public Library Director Sue Kroesche asked the supervisors to look at changing the formula to provide more money for libraries offering different types of technology for users. She also suggested aligning with the State Library of Iowa's formula, in which funding is based on tiers.

Representatives from the Kingsley and Remsen libraries spoke against the change Tuesday, asking the board to keep the formula the same.

Supervisor C. Gordon Green responded by saying that he wouldn't like to see this issue decided the board of supervisors.

"I recommend the library community get together and hammer out some kind of program that is compatible with the library community," Greene said. "I don't want to, as a board member, come and have to make a decision about who gets what money."

A second request came from The Bridge, a faith-based nonprofit organization based in Orange City that offers transitional housing for homeless women and children in five northwest Iowa counties.

Pointing out that about one-third of the consumers at The Bridge come from Plymouth County, Executive Director Sandi Altena asked the supervisors for $2,500 for 2010-11.

"Last year we served 42 individuals, 19 moms and 23 children," Altena told the board. "They may be victims of domestic violence, they may be recently evicted or may have gotten pregnant and were kicked out of their home. I'm not sure what would happen to them if we weren't there."

The cost, per day, to house, feed and educate the women and children staying at The Bridge is about $7.18 each, Altena said.

The average stay, she said, is six months.

The Bridge's budget last year was $110,000 last year but will increase to $150,000 this coming year.

Much of the organization's budget comes through donations from churches, individuals and businesses as well as a state grant.

"The economy has increased the need for our services," Altena said, adding that The Bridge will seek $2,500 from each of the five counties it serves.

The supervisors took no action on either funding request but planned to discuss them further during upcoming budget talks.