La Crosse library budget plan would keep all 3 branches open

Director's plan makes cuts to staff hours, services

LA CROSSE, Wis. (WKBT) — The La Crosse Library Director introduces a plan that would keep all three branches open through 2015.

Kelly Krieg-Sigman presented her budget plan the library board Tuesday. It would keep all branches open, as long as funds from the city remain the same.

It would also call for a possible change in operating hours, reduce labor hours and reduction in programs.

The director says the plan is in the very early stages. “We haven’t even established a budget schedule, a budget timeline yet from the city so a lot of things could change, but we had to start somewhere,” said Krieg-Sigman.

The board also discussed plans to bring in a consultant to explore ways to cut costs, but they tabled the idea tonight when the learned the consultant wouldn’t be able to get their work done before the library budget was due. “We will be instituting some of these changes, we will be reducing some labor hours, we will be looking for more efficiencies, and then we would like to bring in the efficiency consultant first quarter next year,” said Krieg-Sigman.

The also board met in closed session Tuesday and decided not to fill two vacancies that recently opened up.