Tiny Township council will renew its library access agreements with surrounding municipalities — including Springwater's Elmvale branch — but in a new way for 2024.
A motion passed unanimously at a committee of the whole meeting will see Tiny residents subsidized with a family membership at one of three libraries: Midland, Penetanguishene or the Elmvale branch. This will have to be ratified at the Nov. 22 meeting to take effect for 2024.
"We are very much in support of libraries," Tiny Mayor Dave Evans said at the recent meeting. "We don't have a library and library access will continue."
In January, Tiny council decided to pull its funding from three local libraries at the end of the year in an effort to save money and invest in Tiny and future infrastructure, including the construction of the township's first library.
This came after the Penetanguishene Public Library wouldn't allow Tiny to put a citizen on the library board, as had been the case for many years. This issue remains unresolved.
"Now we have to come up with an agreement with our three library suppliers to allow Tiny residents to have access to a library," he said. "Midland and Springwater are open to discussions."
The Penetanguishene library, which received more than $65,000 a year from the township, received a 30-day loss of funding notice from Tiny on Oct. 31. It expires in a few days.
The effects of the funding loss are already playing out in Penentanguishene.
Last week, the library announced it will be closing on Wednesdays and Saturdays, as of Dec. 1, "due to the loss of funding." New hours will be Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
In addition, the $150 non-resident fee has been raised to $200 per year.
Evans called this "punitive and childish" at the Tuesday meeting.
Coun. Kelly Peter Helowka called it "extremely disappointing."
"It's a huge jump," he said.
Evans said he is moving toward the goal of regaining access to the Penetanguishene library but noted the problem "wasn't our doing."
Tiny's committee of the whole passed a second motion unanimously to not pay two outstanding invoices billed from the Penetanguishene library in the amounts of $15,595.42 and $10,330.28 for the third and fourth quarters of the year. The motion also includes a letter to that effect addressed to Penetanguishene Mayor Doug Rawson, not to the library board.
Evans told council it's time the municipality builds its own infrastructure and that cutting ties with other libraries "is not personal."
Sixty per cent of Tiny residents are now permanent residents, which is higher than in the past.
"We know people want a library. We will be building a library. We are getting a library board in 2024," said Evans.
In 2022, the township paid a total of $191,000 to the three libraries. In 2021, it paid $181,000 to the three libraries. This year, Tiny has provided the Midland library alone $117,000 for its 1,200 library card holders from Tiny.
Council members stated they are trying to get a "seamless" means of maintaining library services for their citizens, while allowing the municipality to save money for its own infrastructure. Agreements are in place with Midland and Springwater until Dec. 31.
Tiny still wants to be able to appoint a member to the Penetanguishene library board.
Deputy Mayor Sean Miskimins said he expected a response from Penetanguishene regarding that request, but added he's received none.
Added Evans: "If we can find a new agreement, I'm all for it."
