Amid much discussion on possible large cuts to the city library system, the Sioux City Public Library Board of Trustees on Friday offered a cut of $100,000.
Speaking at a press conference at the downtown main library, board member Jim Wharton said the trustees came to that figure after discussions in recent days.
A cut of more than $100,000 to the proposed budget of $3.8 million, he said, "would be difficult, if not impossible, to absorb.”
Wharton noted many passionate supporters of the library have been urging Sioux City Council members to not make cuts that would reduce services, close any of the three libraries or cut personnel.
Back in February, during a long budget meeting where many facets of the city operating budget were discussed, Council members Rock Bertrand and Julie Schoenherr threw out the possibility of cutting the library budget by 25 percent, or roughly $1 million.
Schoenherr was at the Friday press event, and said residents have misconstrued that she is a library critic. She said the reality is that this is a tough budget year, so the potential for cuts in many departments must be considered.
“We continue to love the library, this just kind of snowballed” in public reaction, Schoenherr said.
The city council will hold a long meeting on March 18 to again discuss the operating budget being set for fiscal year 2026-27. Schoenherr said she expects the council will make a decision concerning the $100,000 cutting proposal in that meeting.
The city council sets a budget amount for departments, but Iowa law holds that the city’s library board has the sole power to make any changes in services and branches.
The proposed operating budget for the year ahead is just under $259 million, which is up one-half of one percent from the current budget of $257.5 million.
Wharton said a factor hampering the city budget deliberations is less financial support from the state, with which Schoenherr agreed.
Library director Helen Rigdon, who was at the event, is retiring this spring. Schoenherr said any changes to the library should only come after a new director is hired, to have a role in those discussions.
Also attending the press conference were two other library board members, City Councilman Ike Rayford and Interim City Manager Mike Collett.
