The Manhasset Public Library’s $5.1 million budget for 2016-17 was approved by voters on Tuesday and resident Gloria Su was elected to the library’s board.
The budget, which passed in a 114-42 vote, calls for a $95,593 in increase in spending — 1.9 percent more than the current budget.
“I’m delighted with the budget since we were able to stay below the tax cap while maintaining or increasing funding for library programs,” Trustee Joanne Kesten said.
With anticipated spending increases in salaries and pensions, the library was able to stay under the state-mandated tax cap by cutting spending from operating expenses and building and maintenance.
The budget calls for a 8.2 percent spending increase on employees, both current and those the library intends to hire — from $2,818,244 to $3,049,850.
The budget also calls for a 17 percent decrease in professional fees that include legal, accounting, engineering, insurance, and payroll payments.
The library budgeted $400,300 for building and maintenance, a $66,300 decrease from last year’s expenses.
Expenses for books, electronic media, e-books, online databases, periodicals and microfilm will remain the same.
Approximately $1.063 million will go towards the library’s debt service fund.
“We are facing some of what other libraries are facing,” Kesten said. “After years of library employees working without contracts, we had to come up with a plan that shifted some of the financial responsibilities to employees.”
Kesten said the increase in spending is due to the library’s contractual obligations with its employees which includes salaries, payroll taxes, health insurance and pensions.
“I think this budget is good although we had to make some concessions in order to stay below the tax,” Kesten said.
Su will join the library board, after receiving 129 votes in her second election bid for a five-year term. Trustee Donald O’Brien, who was re-elected in 2015, received three write-in votes, Milton Portuguez received two votes, Timothy Bogner and Timothy Hall each received one write-in vote.
Su will replace Trustee Robert Carrozzo, who is stepping down from the board when his term expires in July after serving five years.
“I’m excited about the results,” Su said. “I look forward to working with all the trustees come July.”
She said that although she still has much to learn about the daily operations of the library she will work with the trustees to get up to speed.
“I’ve attended the budget and trustee meetings but I need to take a closer look at the budget before I make any more comments,” Su said.
She said residents have been approaching her about an April 6 Manhasset Times article about the trustees’ consideration of “space re-purposing”
“I’m going to have more discussions with the board to get to know their plans and get a response to the residents who have approached me,” Su said.
Kesten who have served on the board since 2011 said she is delighted to have another woman on the Board of Trustees.
“It’s been great serving as the sole voice on the Board of Trustees for years but I’m delighted to welcome her,” Kesten said. “It’s great to have another woman on the board.”
Kesten said Su’s background and professional expertise managing her own research facility at Columbia University will benefit the library.
Su, 43, a Manhasset resident since 2003, is an associate professor at Columbia University Medical Center in Manhattan whose research focuses on pancreatic cancer and head and neck malignancies.
She said her educational background and work spearheading her own research work at Columbia University has prepared her for the library position.
Su graduated from Northwestern University with a degree in biological degree in 1992.
She received her PhD in Immunology from the University of Chicago in 1997 and completed her postdoctoral fellowship at John Hopkins University in Pancreatic and Genetics Cancer.
