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File #: 24-A-014    Version: 1 Name:
Type: Deputation Status: Received
File created: 1/29/2024 In control: City Council
On agenda: 1/31/2024 Final action: 1/31/2024
Title: DEPUTATIONS REGARDING MOTION 24-G-009, 2024 BUSINESS PLAN AND BUDGET - SERVICE PARTNERS The following individuals provided Deputations regarding motion 24-G-009, the 2024 Business Plan and Budget: 1. Trudee Romanek advised she was speaking in response to an amendment made at the January 24th City Council meeting to $78,000 from the budget of the Barrie Public Library (BPL) Board. Ms. Romanek discussed her history as a BPL patron for over 50 years, providing her with many treasured experiences at the library. She described her career as a book author of more than a dozen traditionally published fiction and nonfiction books for kids and young adults, as well as a playwriter that included plays that explore the City's past. Ms. Romanek expressed the importance of the BPL and its collections to the community. She commented that the library allowed her to learn the real stories behind the rumors linking to Barrie's past truth to its present and future. Ms. Romanek advised that recen...
Attachments: 1. Deputation Request - Trudee Romanek, 2. Deputation Request - Victoria Scott
Title
DEPUTATIONS REGARDING MOTION 24-G-009, 2024 BUSINESS PLAN AND BUDGET - SERVICE PARTNERS

The following individuals provided Deputations regarding motion 24-G-009, the 2024 Business Plan and Budget:

1. Trudee Romanek advised she was speaking in response to an amendment made at the January 24th City Council meeting to $78,000 from the budget of the Barrie Public Library (BPL) Board.

Ms. Romanek discussed her history as a BPL patron for over 50 years, providing her with many treasured experiences at the library. She described her career as a book author of more than a dozen traditionally published fiction and nonfiction books for kids and young adults, as well as a playwriter that included plays that explore the City's past.

Ms. Romanek expressed the importance of the BPL and its collections to the community. She commented that the library allowed her to learn the real stories behind the rumors linking to Barrie's past truth to its present and future.

Ms. Romanek advised that recently she learned most of the local history section of the downtown library was donated to the Simcoe County Archives. She commented that the Archive is a wonderful facility responsible for the historical holdings of the entire County but is no longer accessible to all its citizens due to its location. She noted that staff at the library informed her that the collection was aging and that the irreplaceable materials had been donated due to the library's inability to properly store and adequately preserve them.

Ms. Romanek expressed the importance of maintaining a healthy library collection, which is a costly process that involves much more than renewing magazine subscriptions and purchasing some books; it requires maintaining and caring for existing holdings, as well as having knowledgeable staff about the collection, and so much more.

Ms. Romanek urged members of Council to approve the full original budget request.

Members of Council asked a number of questions to Ms. Romana...

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