BY JEFF CHUDZINSKINorth Country This Week

MASSENA — The Massena Public Library’s attempt to transition to a school district library has failed.

This is the second time since 2020 that voters have shot down the idea, this time by a margin of 961-502.

In a release, Board of Trustees President Joseph Savoca said the library will push forward and continue to serve the public as a municipal library.

“We hope that more people have come to realize the continuing value the library provides to individuals and the community through its resources and activities.  Though this proposition to form and fund a library district was not approved, the library will continue as a municipal library with an annual allocation from the Town of Massena.  The library looks forward to working with the town to explore options to adequately fund the library,” he said.

The vote ends a contentious time in Massena, with individuals on both sides of the argument passionately making their argument for or against the proposition.

Library officials had said that they were seeking a $679,990 budget, an increase from the $504,133 appropriated by the town of Massena and the $9,000 from Louisville this year.

That didn’t sit well with voters in Brasher, Louisville and Norfolk, with many sending letters to the editor in opposition. Signs were posted in yards and along the highway in those communities that stated “Vote no on the library tax.”

Library officials had said the increase would have been for expected expenses like custodial services, accounting, additional staffing and additions to current programming. 

For residents in Louisville who have a home assessed at $100,000, the tax to be assessed for the library would have risen from $6 to $106 per year. In Brasher, residents with homes valued at $100,000 would have gone from paying nothing to $81 per year. In Norfolk, residents in the district with homes valued at $100,000 would have gone from paying nothing to $100 per year.

Library officials campaigned on the notion that spreading the expense of the library across the district would better serve those who utilize the service, however residents in the district outside of Massena vehemently opposed an additional tax.

The library will now move forward as a municipal library, with the town of Massena continuing to oversee the library’s budget, as well as the appointment of staff.