James River Valley Library board faces pay raise decision, budget deadline

The next James River Valley Library budget will help decide whether Jamestown and Stutsman County can keep familiar staff on the job, keep hours steady and maintain the level of service residents expect when they walk into Alfred Dickey Library or the Stutsman County Library.

The board of directors must decide on employee pay increases by June 30, the same deadline for submitting the library system budget to the city of Jamestown and Stutsman County. That makes pay more than a personnel issue. It is part of the operating package that will shape circulation, programming, children’s services, public computer access and the behind-the-scenes work that keeps the system running day to day.

The James River Valley Library System was created in 2009, after Alfred Dickey Public Library and Stutsman County Library were legally combined following a successful unification vote in 2008. Today, the system includes Alfred Dickey Public Library, Stutsman County Library and the Bookmobile, all of which depend on the same local funding structure to stay open and staffed.

That funding base is tight. Stutsman County’s 2025 levy sheet lists a county library levy of 4.00 mills, and county budget discussions last fall made clear that 4 mills is the maximum for a county library. Those same discussions warned that without an increase, there would not be funds to start and operate a county library. The system also has been described as budgeted just slightly above break-even, with support coming through mill levies from both the city and the county.

The pressure shows up in service levels. Stutsman County Library has been open from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, after hours were reduced following a cut in county funding a couple of years ago. For a public library, shorter hours can mean less access to books, homework help, community events and basic internet service, especially for residents who rely on the building for weekday use.

The board’s decision comes as library governance itself is in flux. The city and county moved in February to continue joint library services under a revised memorandum of agreement, while both local governments have also been seeking applicants for open seats on the library board. The city listed one opening for a term running through July 2029, and the county also posted for board applicants.

Board meetings are normally held the second Wednesday of each month at 3:30 p.m. at Alfred Dickey Library. With the budget deadline approaching and staffing costs on the table, the question now is whether Stutsman County and Jamestown are willing to pay enough to retain the people who keep one of the area’s most-used public services working.