By Al Owens

Meeting in regular session last Tuesday, June 20, the Trustee Board of the Helen H. Rayburn Public Library of Lewis County approved the budget for the new fiscal year.

The budget shows total monies exceeding $412,000. That includes the beginning balance. Projected expenditures total almost $128,000. It includes salary increases for all the employees and the purchase of a new fax machine and a new Quick Books software program.

Board President Carol Gilbert reported that the property survey of the new library site on Railroad Street has been done. The Hazardous Materials Survey has also been completed, but the results are not back yet.

The board moved to advertise for bids for the sale of surplus property, specifically the garage and its contents.

The term of board member Ron Mays expires this month so the board moved to submit his name to the Library Commission for re-appointment along with the name of Sandra Bivens. Law requires that two names be submitted when appointments are recommended. The Lewis County Fiscal Court must also approve the appointment.

Michael Jones, Library Development Consultant for the Kentucky Department of Libraries and Archives, (KDLA) attended the meeting. He told the board that online Continuing Education (CE) classes have started. Jones said that if they are successful the KDLA would try to offer them every year so library employees can get their CE renewals without having to leave the library.

Jones reported that the KDLA has also completed its salary survey of all library employees. Previous to this year only the salaries of the Library Directors were surveyed but this year those of all employees were surveyed. He explained that the salaries were broken down by population so our library could compare staff salaries to other libraries in counties with a population under 15,000.

Jones informed the board that the new Standard Manuals are ready, and one copy will be mailed to each library but not to each trustee. He said that the libraries are not required by law to follow the standards. They are recommended for self-evaluation to see how the libraries meet generally set library standards.

He said that the trustee manuals are also being updated and should be out in the Fall.

Jones told the board that the annual Trustees Dinner will be on Thursday, July 27, at 5:30 p.m. at Natural Bridge. He said that the trustees that want to attend could sign up for the dinner on the KDLA web site.

The director’s report shows that in May the library had 685 patrons. Of those 544 used the computers with 272 signing up to use the Internet.

Last month a total of 4751 books were checked out of the main library and 1459 from the Bookmobile. Magazines remain popular with 461 used in the main library and 91 from the Bookmobile.

The record also shows 162 references were used and 138 videos and 34 audiocassettes were checked out.

The next session of the Public Library Board will be on Tuesday, July 18, at 1:00 p.m. in the library.

In order to raise awareness of June as National Homeownership Month, 60 individuals, including housing officials from USDA-Rural Development, representatives from the Governor’s Office and local government, employees of Citizen’s Deposit Bank & Trust and other non-profit housing organizations, and local citizens participated in the construction of a new home on Fuller Branch on June 21, 2006. 

The event included a lunch for all participants followed by remarks from Kenneth Slone, State Director of USDA Rural Development and Diana Conger, a new homeowner. Dave Kreher, Executive Director of People’s Self-Help Housing, Inc. presented Mildred Rizzo and Don and Christine Burton with plaques in appreciation of many years of voluntary service as Board Members of PSHH. 

The Mini-Build was co-sponsored by PSHH and Frontier Housing Inc. of Morehead, a housing nonprofit covering eight counties around Lewis County and featured new affordable homes for families with moderate incomes.

The decision to purchase a home is usually the most important financial commitment that an individual will ever make. PSHH works closely with applicants to prepare them for all aspects of homeownership through individual budget and credit counseling and education on predatory lending, the process of obtaining a mortgage, and proper home maintenance.

For more information on homeownership opportunities for low and moderate-income families, contact PSHH at 606-796-6333 or stop by the office on Fairlane Drive any weekday between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. PSHH provides Equal Housing Opportunities.

Celebrations for Independence Day will be held in Garrison and in Vanceburg this holiday weekend.

The Garrison Family Fun Fest will be held Friday and Saturday, and Vanceburg July Celebration events are scheduled Friday through Monday.

The Garrison event will include amusements for youth, music, games, novelties and lots of food.

Friday will include lice music while Saturday's events in Garrison will include mechanical bull rides and contests, cow chip bingo, and be capped of with a fireworks display at 10:00 p.m.

Vanceburg's celebration gets underway Friday with bands playing at the boat dock parking lot and Merchant's parking lot.

Saturday events in Vanceburg include a catfish tournament, baby show, little mis and mister contests, Forties Celebration, Dinner with the Dearly Departed and a cruise-in and music.

Vendors will be set up Sunday. A gospel song fest is scheduled at Veterans Memorial Park.

The Jim Bob Brown Memorial Fishing Tournament will be held on Monday. Bands will be playing throughout the day. A parade in Vanceburg is set for 6:00 p.m., with line-up beginning at 5:00 p.m. at the old grade school building on Second Street. Bobby Mackey will perform at 7:00 p.m. and 9:00 p.m. The fireworks display over the Ohio River will be at 10:00 p.m. Buck Carroll and Breakin' New Ground will perform at 11:00 p.m.