Wilkinson Co. Summer Reading Program Facing Major Budget Cuts

IRWINTON, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – Wilkinson County’s summer reading program is facing major budget cuts. Library officials are asking for the county’s help to make up for the shortfall.

The county library’s $50,000 budget is made up of funds from the City of Irwinton, McIntyre, and Wilkinson County. McIntyre cut $5,000 this year which leaves the library’s popular summer reading program in limbo.

Library officials say hundreds of kids participate in the program and they need the funding to keep it going. They met with county commissioners Tuesday morning and asked them to come up with the difference.

“We left it with them to look at their budget and we’re very hopeful that they will look at the budget and find our $5,000 we need to operate this summer to have the summer reading program and to stay right with our little shoestring budget,” Donna Asbell, East Wilkinson County Library board member, said.

If they can’t get the funds, library officials are considering closing the library a few days a week and furloughing their one employee. Asbell hopes the commissioners will come to a decision by the next meeting in two weeks.