County wary of library request / A tentative budget the commission passed last week gave the library no capital funding
Source: By NICHOLAS BEADLE, Jackson Sun (TN), June 24, 2008
Questions about proposed spending on books and renovations have made county officials reluctant to pay the county's half of a $129,000 capital funding request by the Jackson-Madison County Library. A tentative budget the Madison County Commission passed last week gave the library no capital funding, which is usually spent for major purchases, construction or repairs.
...... The library, privately managed by Library Systems & Services LLC, is supposed to spend 20 percent of its about $1 million operating budget for books and materials, officials say.
...... Commissioners say they are wary about giving the library two funding sources for books, with some bothered by library leaders' decision to steer more than $74,000 of materials funds to cover the cost of opening its north branch off North Highland Avenue. "I think there's a little concern about the accountability," said Commission Chairman Charles Byrd, a member of the Capital Committee.