Library official responds to Jamesburg councilman

I cannot let the remarks of Jamesburg Councilman Otto Kostbar ("State bill would limit library funding hikes," Sentinel, Jan. 10) pass without a response. First of all, the library is not swimming in money. Our entire budget is not more than the salary of two policemen in town. The majority of our staff barely makes more than the kids in a fastfood restaurant, and only the director is full time.

As a past president of the Board of Trustees, he knows that we have given a Christmas bonus for many years to help make up for the poor salaries. This is not new.

What is left of the budget after all the charge-backs the town is now assessing us goes to maintain the library and the new LMXAC system that everyone has been diligently working on to bring us into the 21st century, by making the library Internet accessible. As for the library not being busy when he came in on a Sunday (so therefore we could close it), it has been my observation that people come in waves. If he comes in on a Tuesday and no one is there, should we close it then too?

The state passed a mandate over 100 years ago to protect libraries from overzealous borough councils that are quick to zero in on library budgets as a place to cut. Despite Mr. Kostbar's dire predictions of a 15-percent increase this year and maybe for years to come, we only got an 8.9- percent increase. And yes, I did sign the resolution for the 4-percent cap, but only after much duress and bullying by the mayor and council.

Carole Hetzell President, Jamesburg Public Library Board

of Trustees Jamesburg