PORT HADLOCK — Jefferson County Rural Library District trustees are proposing a $989,600 budget for fiscal 2003.
Although the library plans to expand services — including bookmobile operations and a pilot program serving homebound readers — the budget is lower than this year’s budget of $1.08 million, elevated because of $160,000 needed to provide bookmobile services, Library Director Ray Serebrin said Monday.
The bookmobile is expected to be in service by January or February.
The district is also facing increasing costs, such as health insurance expenses for employees.
“Health insurance costs have risen approximately 20 percent in the last half of 2002 and could rise even higher in the later part of 2003,” Serebrin said.
The district is expected to grapple with other increases such as the cost of utilities, liability and property insurance and periodical costs.
The preliminary budget is available for public review and comment until Nov. 13, when the board is expected to formally approve it.
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