Voters approve Shelter Island Library budget

By a 104-37 vote, Shelter Islanders on Saturday approved an increase of $28,886 to $510,327 in taxpayer funding for the Shelter Island Public Library in 2013. The budget includes $104,000 in revenue from other sources.

The turnout was down from last year’s vote, when the library also sought a taxpayer funding increase.Voters approved that request by a vote of  122-62.

Library Board of Trustees President Jo-Ann Robotti said after the results were announced Saturday, “I am very grateful that the vote passed. We have a very dedicated group of library supporters.”

The library’s 2013 budget includes a modest salary increase coupled with employee taxes and benefits for library staffers amounting to $9,739 more than was spent in the current year. Ms. DiPaolo has three full-time staffers and seven part-timers, she said.

Utilities, telecommunications and building maintenance are up by $1,799.