Frequently asked questions……..
Q. What is a 414-vote?
A. Chapter 414 refers to the chapter of the laws of 1995 in New York State in which Education
Law 259 was amended to enable libraries of any type to empower the citizens of a
municipality (village, town, city, or county) served by the library to decide how much to tax
themselves for library services. This vote must be held on the date of the general election in
November and officially establishes the municipal budget appropriation for the library.
This type of vote is often referred to as a “414 vote,” a “municipal ballot vote,” or a “local
vote.”
Municipal ballot votes for Library funding in New York State (midhudson.org)
Q. I keep seeing 17% tax increase. Does this mean what I pay on my property tax bill will increase by 17%?
A. No. We would first and foremost, like to remind the public that the 414 vote is a proposition for a contribution. The proposed annual contribution increase does NOT require the town of Vernon to tax the residents. However, if the town of Vernon Board decides to raise a tax levy on the residents for the $60,000 contribution; the projected tax would look similar to this:
Assessed: $100,000
Tax: $17.84
Q. Why $60,000?
A. As with any business or organization, a good businessperson should prepare a yearly projected budget. This helps to be aware of what the costs are, and where the budget needs adjusting in years to follow. The VPL unapproved budget of $60,000, would allow for basic (but crucial) operating costs, administration, and a minimal amount for inventory.
Q. Should the 414-vote pass, who oversees the finances of the Vernon Public Library?
A. The Vernon Public Library is an Association Library that is governed by a Board of Trustees. At this time there are five board members: of those five, four are Officers. The President has no access to the bank accounts whatsoever. The Vice President and the Director are allowed to sign and checks made out from the VPL account. The Secretary is permitted to write a check. And the Treasurer keeps an accurate account of the financial reports.
Generally speaking, our bills are paid as follows:
President – reviews the mail and bills.
Director or Secretary- write the check and place their initials on the check stub.
Vice President or Director – Signs the check and makes any deposits into the bank accounts.
Treasurer- Reviews the accounts monthly and presents a balance sheet to the entire board at the regularly scheduled monthly board meetings.
This entire process is to allow honesty and transparency, while the board holds itself and its employees accountable. This is updated on the library website.
Q. Has the Vernon Public Library applied for any grants?
A. In 2023 the Rotary Club applied for a grant and donated the funds to the Vernon Public Library. This money was used to finish the repairs made to the rooms that were damaged by the last flood. The back-room downstairs, the entire upstairs, an additional meeting space, and the bathroom were remodeled.
In the spring of 2024, the Vernon Public Library had their 501c3 reinstated. This now allows for grants to be applied for and for donations to be taken in that the donor may write off on their personal taxes.
Currently, the Vernon Public Library is working with a grant writer that has donated their services to help acquire grant funding for educational purposes and for improvements to the building.
Q. If the 414-vote passes will the library get $60,000 forever?
A. If the proposed 2024 414-vote were to pass, then the library would be granted a $60,000 contribution from the town of Vernon annually. If the Vernon Public Library wanted to lower or raise that contribution, the Board of Trustees would have to vote to petition the public for another 414-vote.
Q. Does the Library have a 5-year plan?
A. At this time, due to a lack of direction based on funding and resources; the Board of Trustees has not publicly released a final plan. The main goal is to better serve our community. Beginning with a new board of trustees, ultimately, we would like to see the library operating at 45 hours a week to allow for the public to utilize the facility more. We have had many inquiries about having a Notary on staff. We would like to provide this free service to the community as we understand that it can be difficult for some to get to a Notary within their work schedule. These are the main areas we are looking to improve in, along with some improvements to the property, which are contingent on grant funding.
