Politics & Government
Election Results Lift Spirits at Troy Public Library
Staff and patrons say the passage of a five-year millage to fund the community facility has taken a weight off their shoulders.
Staff and patrons at the on Wednesday let out a collective sigh of relief as they focused on moving forward and putting an 18-month struggle to keep the library open behind them.
"I didn't know how much stress I was carrying until last night when I heard the results," library aide Ruth Thor said about the approved by Troy voters Tuesday. "It was like a weight lifted off my shoulders."
More than 58 percent of Troy voters approved the 0.7-mill-property tax that will provide exclusive funding to the library. The millage, which was approved for collection for five years, will provide about $3.1 million in funding for 2011.
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City officials said the library was set to close Aug. 5 if the millage failed. Tuesday's was a last-ditch effort by elected officials who had been involved in an 18-month effort to drum up support for additional revenue from taxpayers.
Bonita Olesen, who was looking for books to check out and take on vacation, said she has been going to the library for about 30 years. "It's an important part of my life," she said. "What we went through never should have even occurred."
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Eve Parsons, vice president of the Friends of the Troy Library board, was working to reopen the Friends bookstore and shop. She said the group is restocking the used bookstore in the basement and hoping to have a grand opening for Labor Day.
"It's been such a rough 18 months that we want to focus on moving forward," Parsons said.
Jennifer LaTarte, a teacher in Troy, said she usually uses the library for tutoring children in the summer. She wasn't sure where she would have gone if the library would have closed.
Troy sisters Stephanie Smith and Elizabeth Haag said they visit the library at least once a week with the children they babysit.
"We're glad it's staying open," Smith said. "There aren't a lot of free things you can do anymore, especially that kids enjoy."
"They love it," said Haag, agreeing with her sister. "They play with other kids. There is more to here besides books."
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