The Coon Rapids City Council reviewed the city’s public library current budget, asking for a decrease to the overall proposed budget for fiscal year 2026. The concern came from Mayor Jeff Anthofer, who viewed the $67,000 salary budget between a full-time director and three part time employees to be a little high, specifically for the hours that the director reports to put in. During the last city council meeting, members addressed Library Director Maura Marsh, if $25,000 could be reduced from the proposed $92,750 being requested by the library out of the general fund and $20,950 request out of the Library Trust and Agency Fund. Many council members discussed support of the reduction proposal, wanting the library staff to adjust to run the library more efficiently. Currently, Marsh is reported to work at the library for four hours every morning, before the library even opens, which Anthofer sees at the $25,000 over expenditures. For the current budget, Marsh requested $104,700 from a combination out of the general fund and the Library Trust and Agency Fund, with the current proposed budget being an approximant eight percent increase. Library supporters argued that more programs were added throughout the year, and that cutting library funding would be doing a disservice to community members. No action was taken, but city council is reviewing the budget and plan to propose a $15,000 decrease to the library’s funding request at the next city council meeting.
