Voters approve library budget

Merger combines operating expenses

By Manor Ink Staff

Town of Rockland, NY – The NY State Board of Regents officially approved the merger of the Livingston Manor-Roscoe Library on Apr. 8. The two non-profit library boards together sought a merger following the voters’ approval of the schools’ merger in November 2024. Merging the libraries would ensure a seamless transition for critical tax levy funding on which the library depends.

The newly-merged library board combined the two 2025 library budgets for the current year and committed to addressing issues for the 2026 budget to bring to voters on June 24.

A total of 96 eligible voters turned out to cast their votes, with 88 in favor and 8 opposed to the Library’s proposed 2026 budget.

“Libraries define a community and ours is a truly wonderful resource,” said Amy Hines, president of the merged library board. “Albeit small in size, the library has a big impact. That is because it takes advantage of everything out there available to public libraries that we can possibly offer as services and sources of information for people of every age,” Hines explained.

“We will face challenges in the future, the biggest of which will be competing for qualified, competent and compassionate staff. That makes all the difference. The voters’ approval of the 2026 budget will make it possible for the board to offer competitive health insurance and retirement benefits to library staff – for the first time. We are deeply grateful to the community in recognizing how important this is,” Hines concluded.