Baldwin County set to partially fund Lake Sinclair Library

MILLEDGEVILLE, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – Baldwin County’s Lake Sinclair Library will be fully funded through the rest of the year.

This comes from a news release by Twin Lakes Library System Executive Director Stephen Houser.

The Baldwin County Board of Commissioners voted to fund the Lake Sinclair Library branch for the next 6 months. The funding will allow the staff to operate the branch.

Houser says that the Lake Sinclair branch will continue the use of the space on a month-to-month basis. However, the cut to the county funding level decreased from 90% to 75%.

The state funding and benefits will be removed if the full funding level is not restored by July 31st.

The previous county funding was $25,276.53 per month. Currently, $6,482.88 per month has been approved through December. This leaves a funding shortfall of $18,793.65 per month according to the release.

Effective August 1st, they would lose state grants as well as access to the state library software (PINES). This will render users unable to check books in or out.

Additionally, with the decrease in county funding and the loss of state funding and benefits, the system would be running on its emergency reserves. They estimate that they would run out of reserves at the end of October.

All 3 branches operated by the Twin Lakes Library System (Mary Vinson Memorial Library, Lake Sinclair Library, and the Hancock Branch) would then have to close due to lack of funding.

Houser also urges the restoration of the funding before July 31st. This will allow the library system to serve the citizens of Milledgeville and Baldwin County.