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Last week, The Bancroft Times wrote an update on the new library build, North Hastings Inspiration Place, that is steadily nearing completion in the downtown core, with a projected opening date of spring, 2027. In this piece, library board member and Bancroft Councillor Val Miles said that Faraday Township had not contributed $35,000 in operating costs to the new library for this year, however there is more to the story. Faraday CAO Bernice Crocker comments to The Bancroft Times to provide more context and clarity on Faraday’s decision, as does North Hastings Public Library CEO/Head Librarian Kate Harris on this contentious issue. This is a developing story and The Bancroft Times will bring you updates as they arise.
Harris wrote a letter to Faraday council on July 11, on behalf of the library board, regarding their decision to withdraw their financial contribution of $35,000 toward library services for the 2026 budget year. She said that while the board recognizes that municipalities face difficult financial decisions and competing priorities, the decision has significant implications for the library, the municipalities that continue to contribute and those who rely on their services.
“We are requesting clarification about the rationale for the decision and the process under which it was made. From the board’s perspective, both the decision and its timing were unexpected. The withdrawal of funding, seven
months into the budget year, creates significant operational and financial challenges, as the library’s operating budget and service commitments were established based on the anticipated municipal contributions.
The library provides many benefits to Faraday residents, seasonal residents, and tourists. These include access to collections, programming, technology help, public computers, Wi-Fi and reliable internet. In rural areas, these services help address barriers related to internet accessibility, connectivity, access to information, and geographic isolation. The library also plays an important role in supporting tourism and the seasonal economy. Cottagers and tourists also rely on public computers, as well as Wi-Fi, when internet access is unavailable or unreliable at
seasonal properties. These services support remote work, access to online services, and the ability to remain connected while spending time in the area. Additionally, summer children’s programming, books, and activities are utilized by seasonal residents.
Although many library services are available without direct charges to users, they carry real costs. Everything the library provides is funded largely through municipal contributions. Faraday’s contribution has helped to support access to these services for forty-eit years. In the absence of that contribution, the Board will need to assess whether the same level of free access can continue to be provided to residents and visitors to the Faraday community. This may affect services such as public computers, internet access, programming, and other services available, currently without charge. The board values its relationship with Faraday and would appreciate an opportunity to better understand the decision, discuss the impact on service delivery, and explore whether there may be a path of continued mutual support.
The board remains committed to the responsible stewardship of public funds, equitable service delivery, and constructive, collaborative relationships with the communities we serve. We hope that further discussion will provide greater clarity and the consideration of the value of continued support for accessible public services.
Crocker replied to Harris’ missive on July 14, who acknowledged her letter from a few days’ prior, and said that it had been forwarded to members of council and would be discussed at their forthcoming Aug. 5 council meeting. She said that she had concerns with both the content of Harris’ letter and the manner in which the issue had been communicated publicly.
“Faraday Township has been a significant financial supporter of the Bancroft library for many years. I was very disappointed to read the final paragraph of the first page of the letter, which suggests that because Faraday is not providing the requested operational contribution of $35,880, the library board may need to assess whether the same level of free access can continue to be provided to Faraday residents and visitors. While the library board is certainly entitled to request funding, council is equally responsible for determining how taxpayer dollars are allocated. In my view, the wording of the letter implies that Faraday’s decision not to provide the requested operational funding may directly affect library services for Faraday residents and visitors, despite the township’s long history of financial support,” she says.
Crocker said that for reference, since 2005, Faraday has contributed $388,191 in municipal funding to the library, and through completion of PLOG documentation by current and former township clerks, had arranged for the library to receive an additional $117,495 in provincial grant funding. She said that combined, this represents a total contribution of over $500,000 over the past two decades. She said she was also concerned that the library board had chosen to publicly announce on its Facebook page that Faraday would no longer be providing operational funding before speaking with the township first. She said that Faraday had always given a donation based on what council of the day felt it could afford within its annual budget, and that it should never be assumed that a donation is guaranteed. She said that when the library board’s draft budget was presented late last year, the motion approved by council was to accept the report, and no financial commitment was made at that meeting.
“Had you or someone from the library board contacted me prior to the social media post, I would have explained council’s decision was made during the 2026 budget deliberations, where council’s objective was to keep the municipal tax levy increase as close as possible to four per cent. The approved municipal portion of the budget resulted in an increase of 4.1465 per cent for Faraday property owners. Had the requested library contribution of $35,880 been included as a further expense, the municipal increase would have risen to approximately 5.3475 per cent. Council also considered recommendations contained in the township’s recent Asset Management Plan, which advises increasing annual reserve contributions by approximately $95,000 to address future infrastructure needs. These recommendations were an important factor in council’s overall budget decisions. This increase alone represents an approximate 3.1 per cent for Faraday property owners, something which will be discussed during the 2027 budget meeting,” she says.
Crocker also wanted to note that over the past two years, she had requested information on the number of Faraday residents that actively use the library, and she says she was advised by Harris that this information could not be provided. She also said she was further disappointed to read comments from library board member and Bancroft Councillor Val Miles, who said ‘as a library member and as a councillor, I’ve very much like to say thank you to both Limerick and Faraday. They have been huge supporters of the library as part of supporting the operations of the library historically. Limerick, to this day, is a great partner and unfortunately Faraday has made a decision just recently to no longer support the operations of the library.’ In my opinion, this statement does not present the complete picture. It does not acknowledge that Faraday Township will continue to provide PLOG funding to the library, nor does it recognize the township’s long-standing financial contributions. Can you please explain why the library board requested an operational contribution of $4,680 from Limerick Township but yet requested $35,880 from Faraday Township for the 2026 year? What is the reasoning behind such a large donation request for Faraday versus a small financial request for Limerick?” she says.
When contacted by The Bancroft Times, Harris told us that the board had directed her to let us know that they were going to formulate a statement after their July 30 board meeting and the Aug. 5 Faraday council meeting. This is a developing and ongoing story, and The Bancroft Times will bring you that statement and any other updates once they have them.
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