The Nicholson City Council unanimously approved its 2011 proposed general fund budget totaling $410,000 following a public hearing Thursday night.
The 2011 budget is up slightly from the $405,000 general fund budget for 2010.
Several residents spoke in favor of the 2011 budget that includes $20,000 for the library for books and periodicals. There had been some questions raised by council member Chuck Wheeler at a previous budget meeting about this amount.
Librarian Kelli McDaniel presented the council with a list of items that were added at the library from March 2010 through Nov. 18, 2010, with the $20,000 allocated in the 2010 budget.
Mary Jane Hilley said, “Do you realize that last month we had over 1,200 in circulation for the first time ever at the library?”
Karen Hale stated she has seen a lot of adults who had not been using the library starting to come back.
“I don’t want us to hold the library back,” Wheeler commented, “I just want us to put this budget out there and not have to pull it back later.”
“We are almost at the same budget we have been under for some time,” Mayor Ronnie Maxwell observed.
Mike Stowers offered support for the line item. “We have got to invest in the library to bring it up to current standards,” he said.
Council member Bobby Crawford made the motion to approve the budget as presented, council member Howard Wilbanks seconded the motion and it carried unanimously.
