Holmes library maintains the financial track in 2013

The Holmes County District Public Library had a solid financial year in 2013.

This is according to Fiscal Officer Paula Cicconetti as the library looks to appropriate funds for the coming year.

The library received $1.005 million in Public Library Funding in 2013. The revenue received for the final month of 2013, December, was $76,000 -- about $2,000 under the estimated amount.

"For the year, we finish(ed) right in the middle of where our initial estimate was and the revised estimate," Cicconetti said in December. "That goes to show that we get what we get. One month we're above the estimate and the next we're below. That's the nature of PLF."

The library will see a few large swings in comparing the finances for 2013 versus 2014.

Employee salaries will go from $597,855 to $594,937.36, a $2,917.64 change.

"We factored in the 2 percent raise that was approved at the last meeting. Even with that increase, our total salaries budget is still about $3,000 less in 2014 than 2013. That's the result from some restructuring of positions," Cicconetti said.

Health insurance rates will represent a large change with the arrival of the Affordable Care Act -- going from $55,525 in 2013 to $61,039.80 in 2014.

"Our rates are locked in until December of 2014. I've budgeted at a 25 percent increase. There is a good chance it could be more than that -- 70 percent was the figure we had been given -- but it's a question of whether it is really going to be that much," said Cicconetti.

Should the increase be larger, the contingencies line item can cover the cost.

The library is saving money for communication, printing and publicity, going from $20,950 to $17,050.

"We had been using an outside printing company to print and distribute our newsletter. We brought that in-house, we print and distribute in-house through our website and other alleyways, so that's saving us $3,000 per year," Cicconetti said.

That newsletter, The Holmes Page of the Holmes County District Public Library, announces events, updates, bookmobile schedules, information about the library's new book returns and more.

The library will see a reduction in purchased and contracted services from $31,627 to $28,810. That change applies to Unique Management, the company the library contracts with to collect overdue fines and lost items.

"Since this is a fairly new service we're looking at, I had allocated $6,500 for 2013 and we only spent $2,500. I've scaled that back," explained Cicconetti.

Through that service, the library has collected nearly $40,000 in fines and lost materials, said Director Bill Martino.

Many other items, such as materials, programming and equipment, remain very similar year after year.

"Each year as part of the budgeting process we ask the staff members in charge of those departments what they need. This year, they asked for the same as last year," said Cicconetti.

Overall, the library is on track going into the new year.

"Big picture, our bottom line appropriations are $1.43 million (for 2014). In 2013, the appropriations were at $1.42 million. We're very close," said Cicconetti.

The difference in appropriations is only $883.