School Board Funding Reopens Twiggs County Library

JEFFERSONVILLE, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – After a two hour special board of commissioners meeting, the Twiggs County Public Library is open again after closing its doors earlier this week.

Library board officials met with the board of commissioners to try to figure out where the funding needed to come from in order to re-open the library.

During the meeting, Commissioner Tommie Lee Bryant found out the Twiggs County School Board had a $5,000 check ready for the library, so that it can remain open.

The library is funded three ways: through the county, the school board, and the city of Jeffersonville.

The biggest issue was if the library used the check, then it could re-open for the rest of the year. After an impromptu library board meeting, members decided they would use the money to keep the library open.

Library chair Earl Dennard says the building will be able to continue operation until the end of the calendar year, and the Board of Commissioners will work to include the library’s operating fees into their 2014 budget.

“We as a board plan to utilize the funds that are provided to us or made available to us and we’re going to use those funds to insure that the library is open,” Dennard said.

“The Board of Commissioners have promised to also help us out with the ongoing expenses to operate the library,” he said.

Dennard says the library needs about $10,000 to keep them afloat for the rest of the calendar year.

On January 1, a new budget from the board of commissioners will include the library operating expenses.