Elmont Memorial Library budget and trustee vote is coming up

The Elmont Memorial Library budget vote and trustee election is happening on May 16 — this is what you need to know before heading to the polls.

According to the library’s budget newsletter, the proposed spending plan for 2023-24 is roughly $2.5 million, which is a slight estimated $45,300 increase from this year.

Jean Simpson, the Elmont Memorial Library director, said this is first increase the library has seen in 13 years. Next year’s spending plan has an annual increase of $1.05 for the average home in the school district.

Additionally, current Elmont Library trustee Gina Burnett of 10 years is running unopposed for reelection this year. She is an Elmont resident for 27 years with her husband, Dwayne, and their three daughters who are enrolled in the Sewanhaka Central High School District.

She hopes to continue to be of service to her community as a library trustee. Having earned her master’s degree in library science with a focus on administration, Burnett said she understands how a library functions and its purpose to the community.

If reelected, Burnett said her top priority is transforming the library into an eco-friendly facility. She also wants to look into the use of robotics and encourage the community to use the wealth of services the library has to offer both in-person and digitally.