Federal mandates increasing administrative salaries and the re-opening of the Alpha Center will require more funding for the local library system — and possibly a slight uptick in millage, library director Darlene Morgan told te McComb city board Tuesday.
The Pike-Amite-Walthall Library System needs an increase in the millage that is dedicated to the library, Morgan said as she presented the board with a copy of the library’s budget.
The library currently receives 0.79 of a mill, but Morgan asked city officials to raise that to 1 mill.
“I know that is a big jump, but we need the funding,” she said.
She said a mandated salary increase for administrative employees will hit the library budget hard.
The Department of Labor increased the minimum salary threshold for the Fair Labor Standards Act’s administrative, executive and professional exemptions on July 1, 2024.
Employees who are exempt from overtime pay because they are salaried will now need to be paid overtime if they work more than 40 hours per week if their annual salary is less than $43,888.
Morgan said she is exempt from overtime pay.
She noted that the minimum salary required for administrative employees to qualify for the Fair Labor Standards Act will increase to $58,656 per year effective Jan. 1, 2025.
She said three lawsuits are fighting that increase.
“We need to have at least $74,018 from you all,” Morgan said. “That is what we received two years ago, and we have to keep working to make at least that much money.”
Morgan added that a personnel grant the library received was $500 lower, coming in at $79,387.
“That is only 12% of what we spent. When I started with the library system 14 years ago, our budget was over $1,000,000. If you look at our budget numbers now, we are at $908,000. We are trying to cut the budget and stay within the budget,” she said.
However, Morgan said the library has to buy costly supplies, books and electronic equipment.
“Our salary levels are low. I have people working for me making $8 per hour,” she said. “That is not a livable wage. I want to get everyone to $10 per hour.”
City Administrator David Myers said the proposed budget he presented to the board last week included a 0.79-mill allotment for the library. Morgan said she did not know about the meeting and was out of town, but she would have come if she had known.
“As the year goes on, and the city pays off debts without raising the millage, we could move millage around if the board decides to do that to raise the millage for the library,” Myers said.
Morgan also pointed out that the Alpha Center will open soon, which she estimated will cost another $20,000 to $25,000 for its operations.
“I am hoping to open the first week of September,” Morgan said.
She said library officials are waiting on C-Spire to install internet, but everything is on schedule.
Selectwoman at-Large Tabitha Felder Isaac asked what times and days the Alpha Center would be open, and Morgan said operating hours haven’t been established, but she expects to have the center open in the afternoons. She said previous operating hours were 2 to 5 p.m. weekdays.
Ward 2 Selectman Matt Codding said Morgan’s request wasn’t unreasonable, given the Alpha Center’s upcoming reopening and the fact that some employees make just $8 per hour.
Ward 1 Selectman Tommy McKenzie estimated the 0.21 mill Morgan requested would bring an additional $19,139.
“I don’t see $19,139 as blowing the budget,” Codding said. “We were told employees are paid $8 per hour, but if you work for the city, you don’t work for less than $10.32.”
“At 0.79 of a mill, that is projected to bring in $80,998. That is more than what the base of $74,018 that was asked for,” Myers stated.
Codding asked Morgan if $80,998 is the bare minimum the library needs, without giving raises or being put into a maintenance pinch, and Morgan said that is correct.
“For you to be able to raise the rate of pay, you would need the full 1 mill,” Codding asked.
“That would certainly help,” Morgan replied.
The board took the issue under advisement.
