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Politics & Government

One Dearborn Library Branch Expected to Close

After meeting with Mayor Jack O'Reilly, the Dearborn Library Commission prepares for news that the city budget will cut funding for at least one of its three branches.

At least one of the three branches of the Dearborn Public Library is expected to shut its doors by July 1, Library Commission Chair Marcel Pultorak reported at the group's meeting Friday afternoon.

Pultorak and Library Director Maryanne Bartles met last Wednesday with Dearborn Mayor Jack O'Reilly to discuss how the drastically pared-down city budget, which O'Reilly will unveil to City Council by April 15, will affect library operations. The news, said Pultorak, was as grim as they had suspected.

"Given the scope of the size of the city’s budget problems, … it’s highly likely that at least one branch will close," he reported to the rest of the commission. "Which one is yet to be determined."

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Pultorak and Bartles agreed that it is likely to affect either the or Branch. The , located in the heart of west downtown Dearborn, also houses the Dearborn Chamber of Commerce offices and welcome center. It is not expected to close.

However, Pultorak added, the city may soon be left with only the Henry Ford Centennial Library, depending on how the city's budget irons out. The deadline for the city council to approve the budget is June 30 and the city must close a $20 million deficit between revenue and spending.

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"It’s certainly possible that all branches might close … if some of these revenue-raising efforts don’t come to fruition," Pultorak said.

Those efforts on the city's end include a millage hike that O'Reilly is expected to propose, bringing the city's total mills from 13.62 to 15–the maximum number allowed in Dearborn currently.

Furthermore, O'Reilly said at his that a proposed 3.5 hike in millage rates could end up on November's ballot.

But none of that is expected to be enough to stop at least one branch from being defunded.

"We all have a big problem because ... let’s assume that they levy 15 mills and the voters approve 3.5 more mills," Pultorak said. "There’s still going to be a $10-million reduction in spending to balance the budget."

Pultorak added that the city's Health Department, which is currently housed in the HFCL building, will likely be phased out, leaving that space open. Mayor O'Reilly, mentioned that the space could be a possible solution for housing displaced library materials from whichever branch is closed, Pultorak said. That decision, like much of the budget cuts' effect, is still up in the air.

"I don’t think we can do anything but wait for what he’s going to propose and take it from there," Pultorak said.

It is not known at this time what other city services are likely to be affected by budget cuts. However, Mayor O'Reilly also made it clear at his State of the City address that residents will be forced to reevaluate what is most important to them, including looking at minimum staffing levels for the city's police and fire departments.

"We are not taking in enough operating tax dollars to cover all of the costs of running our two public safety departments, let alone all of our other services that add to your quality of life," O'Reilly said. "Believe me, we will never compromise on public safety. But we need to understand that it’s a matter where we’ve got to look at how can we manage in light of those challenges.”

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