GIFTS AND GRIPES

I thought Amalgamation was voted “NO”.
I was extremely pleased to read that the Town of Black Diamond is asking its taxpayers whether they agree with financially supporting the Sheep River Library by taking it to a plebiscite.
I welcome the opportunity to have a say in whether my taxes will increase or not.
At a spring open house Mayor Sharlene Brown gave us figures of what we could expect that increase to be. I understood those figures to represent the cost of giving $250,000 towards the construction of the building, a facility that has always been located in our town and is now going to be in Turner Valley. I question whether the taxpayers of Turner Valley would financially support a facility being built in Black Diamond.
In addition, what I have not heard is how much the shared operational costs are going to be. Obviously if we contributed $50,000 or more last year for half the operational expenses then presumably those costs will triple when the new library is finished at triple the size. That means our taxes will go up for the $250,000 and also for the increase in operational costs. But by how much? I realize that the shared expenses has been a long standing agreement but for a much smaller facility. Now that the library is not the same building that the agreement was based on, does that agreement still stand or do we have a say in that as well?
Don't get me wrong, I do agree that this area deserves a new library but did we have a say in how big that facility should be? Who made that decision?
I have read that the programs and events at the library have increased both in their scope and in their attendance but I have been reassured by the library staff and board that the cost of those programs and events have been covered by fundraising and do not come out of my taxes.
Amalgamation was voted down so why are we amalgamating on a $3,000,000 asset for the Town of Turner Valley?
Diane N
Black Diamond Taxpayer


Dear Editor
The board and staff of the Sheep River Library were shocked to hear that the library operating budget may go to plebiscite this fall. The library has never functioned over budget. Programs and events have increased dramatically (over 10 times) in the last few years with no increases to program budgets. Why was the board never invited to discuss the Library services budget which is less than 3% of the town's total budget?
Diane Osberg, Chair
Sheep River Library Board

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