Lyon County officials to look at library funding

Since Lyon County voters in November rejected a quarter-cent sales tax increase to fund libraries, senior citizen and recreation programs, county officials have been scrambling to find new sources of revenue for libraries.

Commissioner Leroy Goodman said that library branches in Fernley, Silver Springs and Dayton were grossly underfunded and that just trying again for a sales tax increase in two years was insufficient.

"We have to look at all possible funding sources," he said. "We can't sit and say let's ask voters for it in two years. We're grossly negligent at providing these services."

Commissioner Bob Milz warned that before any decisions were made, the county needed to prioritize. He suggested pursuing grant funds.

Diane Brigham, director of the Lyon County Library System, said she was looking into foundation grants and partnering with larger entities for grant funds, but added that there was no federal funds available for library construction.

County Comptroller Josh Foli reported that the county's surplus maintenance fund has $2.3 million in cash outside of the regular budget that is not yet allocated.

In addition, the general fund has $1.6 million more in it than the previous year, he said.

Foli suggested that the commissioners consider library funding at the regular budget hearings in May.

A bond issue is possible, but methods of repayment have to be worked out in advance, Foli said.

"What this (bond issue) needs is a stable, dedicated resource in order to pay it back," he said. "You'd have to allocate property tax to that. You can do that in the budget, you can bond for 10 times the amount you have allocated."

PILT funds, or Payment in Lieu of Taxes funds from the federal government was another option, Goodman said. PILT funds are paid by the federal government to states and localities with large amounts of federally controlled land. In 2006, Lyon County collected $1.25 million in PILT funds.

• Contact reporter Karen Woodmansee at kwoodmansee@nevadaappeal.com or 882-2111 ext. 351.