Pocahontas County Free Libraries will continue to provide Services to Marlinton and Hillsboro Elementary Schools

Marlinton, WV – DISCLAIMER: The following report reflects information provided during the Pocahontas County Board of Education meeting on February 28th. However, AMR has since learned that some of the information about library services given during the meeting was incorrect. Following this report, we have a statement from Pocahontas County Free Libraries Executive Director Allen Johnson.

Pocahontas County Free Libraries President Sue Ann Heatherly assured the Pocahontas County Board of Education Monday night that the library services for Marlinton and Hillsboro elementary children will continue through the end of the school year. That’s quite a change considering the PCFL was ready to pull the plug on those services on March 11th.

Heatherly says that since the 1966 creation of the Pocahontas County Free Library system, the Board of Education has supported the Library. The 2010/2011 Budget for library services from the BOE is $24,000. There was $6,000 left over from the 2009/2010 library budget that the Board rolled over into the 2010/2011 budget giving the Library $30,000 for this year.

To date, the Library still has an unused balance of $6,500. Heatherly was surprised that this amount of money was still available. The money is from a Title I Grant and must be used to purchase things such as supplies or technology equipment.

Terrance Beam, Director of Federal Projects for the County Schools says that the Library can use these funds previously planned for supplies for other purposes such as salaries.

To use the Title I money, the Library much submit purchase requisitions to the School Board and the Board will order the materials. Kenneth Vance, President of the BOE cautioned that the remaining funds must be obligated by the end of March. Any money not assigned at that time will no longer be available.

Heatherly asks that the Library Board’s budget request be included in the April budgeting process. She says that for next year, the Library is requesting an increase in their support to $40,000. She asked that the BOE to come up a budget for consideration by the Library Board. Once accepted, the Library Board will then develop a plan to make that budget work and present it to the BOE for their approval.

In other action, Snowshoe Foundation Board Member Randy Sharp and Foundation Executive Director Coby Brown distributed checks directly to four county schools for Information Technology purchases.

Sharp says that the Foundation was able to increase its original distribution from approximately $10,000 to $15,000. He says that as a resident of the County, it particularly gratifying to help his school system.

Hillsboro Elementary School received $5,000 and will purchase I-Pads

Green Bank Elementary received $3,170 and will purchase jump drives and a printer chip

PCHS received $1,500 to purchase a MAC and a Flip Phone

Marlinton Middle School received $5,100 to purchase a Smart Board

To date Snowshoe Foundation has donated $151,000 to various organizations this year. During the past 6 years, the Foundation has sponsored $78,500 in scholarships, and will do so again this year at PCHS.

This report is followed by a statement from Allen Johnson, Executive Director of the Pocahontas County Free Libraries regarding the library services at Marlinton and Hillsboro Elementary schools. Please click on the above link to hear the report and Johnson’s statement.