News From Terre Haute, Indiana

Local & Bistate

December 13, 2012

Rockville library now serving nearly all Parke residents

TERRE HAUTE — Rockville Public Library’s taxing district has been expanded and now serves nearly all residents of Parke County.

The Parke County Board of Commissioners on Dec. 3 approved an expansion of a taxing district for the library allowing nearly all county residents or real property taxpayers to have full access to the library.

Prior to the action, Parke County residents living outside of Rockville had to purchase a library card for $63 a year.

Parke County Commissioner Greg Harbison said the library will not gain much in new revenue, however, the costs will be spread out among more taxpayers, who can in turn have full access to the library.

“It is adding more assessed value, while before it was just from Adams Township,” Harbison said.

 A countywide tax rate, while not yet established, will likely be between 3 to 5 cents per $100 assessed value, said Cindy Hein, director of the Rockville Public Library. Adams Township, which has a tax rate of 12.5 cents per $100, will go to the countywide rate, Hein said.

The new tax rate would not apply until taxes owed in 2014, she added.

Hein said the library’s annual budget will remain about the same, at slightly more than $400,000. The library has five full-time and four part-time employees.

The new library taxing district includes the townships of Adams, Florida, Greene, Howard, Jackson, Liberty, Penn, Raccoon, Sugar Creek, Union, Washington and nearly all of Wabash, where a small portion of that township is served by the Montezuma Public Library. Reserve Township is also served by the Montezuma Public Library.

A public hearing was conducted in September on the taxing district expansion. An initial proposal was to split the population in townships with Montezuma Public Library, however, commissioners sought to have one library taxing district, instead of two, Hein said.

That sparked Montezuma’s board of directors to decide against the measure, allowing Montezuma to keep its own board.

Some new benefits to Parke County residents include having reciprocal agreements with libraries statewide. Hein said as an example, Parke County residents in Greene Township can obtain a Rockville Public Library card and use that card in a library at Crawfordsville.

“It’s a big deal for us,” Hein said, adding that by Dec. 4, the library had 15 people from outside of Adams Township get new library cards. “We have also had tons of calls and not encountered anything negative. We are adding more than 10,000 patrons that we can serve.

“I have been here 28 years and have tried many times for this, so it is exciting,” Hein said.

The Rockville Public Library is at 106 N. Market St. in Rockville, north of the Parke County Courthouse. The library was dedicated in January 1915.

Reporter Howard Greninger can be contacted at (812) 231-4204 or howard.greninger@tribstar.com.

Text Only | Photo Reprints
Local & Bistate
Latest News
Community Calendar
Loading…
Events by eviesays.com
TribStar.com Poll
AP Video
Bridge Collapse Survivor: 'Rough Day' Raw Video: Washington State Bridge Collapse Officials: Truck Hit Bridge Before Collapse Jersey Shore Open for Business First Person: Mom Discusses Famous Tornado Photo Officials: Tsarnaev Friend Linked to Slaying Sheriff: No Sign Killing of 2 Kids Was Planned Boy Scouts Approve Plan to Accept Gay Boys Two Suspects in Murder Known to London Police Raw: Utah Teen Arrested in Death of His Brothers Raw: Scuffles in London After Hacking Death Raw: Memorial Day Flags Placed at Arlington Obama:Sexual Assault Threatens Trust in Military Johnson: Don't Blame Islam or UK Policy American Held in Grisly Czech Murders Obama Defends Drone Strikes, With Limits Today in History May 24 Raw: Jurors Deadlock on Jodi Arias Penalty UK-bound Pakistan Plane Diverted, 2 Men Arrested Closer Look at Okla. School Where Children Died
NDN Video
AK-47-wielding thug may be the most bumbling crook ever Oklahoma Survivors, Heroes Survey Damage Trout's cycle a boost for Angels Raw: New Video of Deadly Oklahoma Tornado Kim Kardashian Flaunts Pregnant Bikini Body in Greece NBA star pledges $1M to help tornado recovery Shakira's Shocking Talent Morgan Freeman falls asleep on air GRAPHIC: Blood-Soaked Machete Killer Caught on Tape Elin Nordegren Furious With Lindsey Vonn For Parading Kids in Public Camera Captures Climber As He Loses Grip And Falls Helen Mirren Meets with Dying Boy in Queen Elizabeth's Place Crowd Chants '¡Si, Se Puede!' After Passage of Immigration Bill DWTS Crowns a Winner Police Ram House to End Hostage Standoff Demi Moore a Rocks Bikini at Harry Morton's Family House Anthony Weiner: I'm running for New York City mayor Kate Middleton's Dress Flies Up VIRAL: Baby makes epic soccer goal The Hangover Baby All Grown Up
Parade
Magazine

Click HERE to read all your Parade favorites including Hollywood Wire, Celebrity interviews and photo galleries, Food recipes and cooking tips, Games and lots more.
  • -

     

    March 12, 2010

activity
Real Estate News