Friends' Survey of Candidates

On behalf of the Friends, I would like to thank the candidates for taking the time to consider our questions and submit their responses.

 

Margaret Smith, President
Friends of the Central Rappahannock Regional Library
FOLPresident@crrl.org

 

Gary Snellings - Candidate for Stafford Board, Hartwood District

We use the downtown branch as it is close to our home.  My wife takes our grandson to the library quite often.  The Library has a great selection and makes is easy for my grandson to do research for school projects.

 

The friendly atmosphere and willingness of the library staff (paid and volunteer) to assist those who elect to use the library system make the library an attractive place.  The available materials are up to date and easy to locate.  The library facilities are available to the public to be used as meeting locations, etc. for various groups and organizations.  In addition the system offers much more than just a place to store and retrieve books.  The system offers many programs of benefit to the community.  The buildings are well maintained and always appear to be clean.

 

 

We enjoy the convenience, ease of use, friendly staff, and abundance of resources that the library offers. Our new England Run library will be within walking distance of our home and very close to work.

 
2.  How do you think the public library contributes to the community?

Gary Snellings - Candidate for Stafford Board, Hartwood District 

I visited the Porter Library a few weeks a go and really felt a sense of community.  There was so much going on.  It is evident the library is much more to the community it serves that a depository for reading materials.

 

I view our public library system as an important extension of our educational system.  I have always placed a priority on meeting the financial needs of our school system.  That is one reason why my candidacy received the endorsement of the Spotsylvania Education Association (SEA).  For those who elect to participate in our public library system it offers them a world of opportunities the minute they walk through the door.  Our library system continues to be awarded for the services that are offered to our community.  These vital services serve to invest in people on a daily basis.  When you invest in people, you invest in their future and the future of your community.  Our library system continues to improve upon the quality of life for our residents.  The buildings or our library system are used as community meeting places.

 

 

The library provides resources and services to children and adults that might not be readily available to them at school, at work and/or at home. The new England Run Library will bring about a “sense of community” that is sorely lacking.

 
3.  What is your plan for fully funding the public library during your term?

Gary Snellings - Candidate for Stafford Board, Hartwood District

During my first term in office 2001-2005 the library was fully funded by the taxpayers of Stafford. Although full funding is desirable we must all realize the economic situation Government is in at all levels. The County has a great many priorities.  For example our Teachers and employees have not had a raise in two years. When I take office in Jan. 2010 I will be glad to sit down with you and the library board to discuss your situation and needs.

 

I realize the every dollar in reduction to our library has a negative impact.  I supported a budget (2009-2010) that worked to minimize that impact.  Even though Spotsylvania's reduction to the library system was 6.2%, that reduction was substantially less than the average reduction of 13.94% to other regional agencies.

 

I have always placed a priority on funding the financial needs to the library.  Even though this budget year (2009-2010) was very challenging when meeting the financial needs of the forty (40) regional agencies, I worked very hard to make sure that funding for our library system was a priority.  The average reduction to regional agencies was almost 14% (13.94%).  Many regional agencies received substantial reductions in appropriations.  Thirty five (35) regional agencies received a reduction of 10% or greater.  Funding for eleven (11) agencies was completely eliminated.

 

I realize the importance of our library system to our community.  As in the past, I will work to make sure that our library system remains a priority when it comes to funding.  Fully funding the financial needs of our library will continue to be a priority of mine.  In the event that surplus funds are discovered within this budget cycle, I will work to seek support in allocating a portion of those funds back to the library system to assist in making up the 6.2% in funding reduction.

 

 

If elected, I will be making a call to the County Administrator to set up the first of several meetings prior to January 2010, to review the current budget and most recent revenue projections with the goal of identifying sufficient funds to open the new England Run Library on time, with a full complement of books and staff. The newly enacted BPOL tax is a potential revenue stream that is not currently earmarked for library operations, but must be equally considered given the limited availability of resources, I do believe that the current $200K threshold on the BPOL tax can be raised to eliminate the tax altogether on Stafford’s small businesses, while generating enough revenue to cover the library’s operational needs. Since the Central Rappahannock Regional Library system has several members, I will work with my counterparts in Spotsylvania and the City to improved funding as a regional partner.