By Stephanie Johns
Staff Writer

    Trustees of the Uncle Remus Regional Library System heard a budget update during their recent meeting: halfway through their fiscal year they are a little more than halfway through their budget.
    Revenues for the system’s regional fund stands at 54.848 percent: year-to-date (YTD) they have invoiced a total of $98,727.74 and have budgeted $180,001.00.
    Expenses stand at 120.096 percent: $170,136.39 YTD invoiced with $141,666.77 budgeted annually.
    In a later interview, Acting Director Steve Schaefer said that they pride themselves on “squeezing the penny.”
    “Our financing is not reckless in any way,” he said. “The health of Uncle Remus libraries: it’s good despite financial challenges.”
    During the meeting Schaefer led those present through the Dec. 31, 2012 financial reports for the library system.
    Greene County Library stands at 48.329 percent: $90.156.42 YTD invoiced and $186,549.22 budgeted annually.
    Expenses for that library include a $1,571.39 cost for equipment repair and maintenance when $500 was budgeted for that. There was also a $708.33 cost for building repair; $200 was budgeted.
    They have had a $1,567.48 cost for water/sewer and a $1,044.50 cost for building/bond insurance. Both of these categories are above the 75 percent mark in the budget.
    Schaefer noted that the insurance is paid early and not on a monthly basis; they pay the bill when it arrives.
    Hancock County Library stands at 52.632 percent: $59,644.60 YTD invoiced and an annual budget of $113,324.60.
    Schaefer later explained that this library’s funding agency did not give them the money that the library had budgeted from them.
“That money never arrived and was not spent,” he said. 
    Jasper County Library stands at 44.879 percent: $38,889.94 YTD invoiced and $86,655.26 budgeted annually. 
    Schaefer noted that they have new leadership in Jasper County and are looking for trustees and leadership down there.
    Morgan County Library stands at 46.028 percent: $110,756.06 YTD invoiced and $240,629.53 budgeted annually.
Their equipment repair and maintenance category stands at 223.647 percent and their computer equipment category stands at 111.298 percent.
    The first category had $1,341.88 YTD invoiced and $600.00 budgeted annually. The second category had $556.49 YTD invoiced and $500.00 budgeted annually.
    Eatonton-Putnam County Library stands at 59.356 percent: $122,698.86 YTD invoiced and $206,717.12 budgeted annually.
Schaefer said they had to pay for a boiler replacement in the Eatonton-Putnam County Library.
    The O’Kelly Memorial Library in Loganville stands at 54.873 percent: $138,067.59 YTD invoiced and an annual budget of $251,613.99.
    Their building repair category stands at 200.000 percent: $23,011.31 YTD invoiced and $11,505.65 budgeted annually.
Schaefer said they have done some construction there as well as have new carpet installed.
    The Monroe-Walton County Library stands at 49.059 percent: $119,725.36 YTD invoiced and an annual budget of $244,043.57.
Their building repair category stands at 220.917 percent: $15,934.77 YTD invoiced and $7,213.00 budgeted annually. Also, their equipment repair and maintenance category stands at 103.271 percent: $1.032.71 YTD invoiced and $1,000.00 budgeted annually.
Schaefer said they have new lights and more cameras there now.
    The W.H. Stanton Memorial Library in Social Circle stands at 49,656 percent: $103,825.96 YTD invoiced and $209,090.00 budgeted annually.
    Schaefer said they are in good shape there: they have done some construction and possibly will get more cameras and new carpet.

  Their building repair category stands at 200.000 percent: $14,766.00 YTD invoiced and $7,383.00 budgeted annually.
    The Walnut Grove Library stands at 41.075 percent: $58,139.42 YTD invoiced and $141,543.14 budgeted annually.
Schaefer said they are doing well in circulation there. 
    He later explained that that library has not received any money from its county commissioners so they are losing money in a sense.
    “The county will start paying now in January,” he said.

Printed in the January 24, 2013 edition.