Budget committee restores library and recreation funding after pleas from department heads

The St. Helens Budget Committee voted May 14 to restore library and recreation staffing and funding to the prior level after department heads described the community impact of proposed cuts.

The committee’s action follows detailed presentations from Suzanne Bishop, the library director, and Shauna Dugen, the recreation manager, who described sharp reductions in hours, programs and revenue if the proposed budget stands. The motion — introduced by committee member Steve — was seconded and passed on a voice vote, and staff were asked to prepare an updated budget showing the restorations.

Bishop told the committee the library logged roughly 49,400 building visits in 2025 and circulated more than 68,000 items, and she warned that layoffs and furloughs in the proposed budget would reduce public‑service hours by an estimated 384 hours per month. “We are the living room of the community,” Bishop said, arguing the library’s services — from cooling‑center hours to in‑depth research help and youth programming — cannot be sustained at the proposed staffing level.

Dugen said the recreation department would shrink from roughly 2.5 full‑time equivalent positions to two, eliminating a half‑time staffer who supports an after‑school program called SHARP. That program generates about $100,000 in revenue, she said, and its loss would immediately reduce service capacity. “These cuts will not simply just change our department. They will change the level of connection, support, and opportunity that residents experience throughout our community,” Dugen said.

Committee members said they weighed the restorations against a gap in the general fund driven largely by rising police costs. Finance staff had presented alternative paths including a separate police services fund or a voter‑approved fee; committee members asked staff to return specific budget options that incorporate the restored library and recreation funding.

The committee did not finalize the full budget on May 14; staff will provide a revised budget reflecting the restorations ahead of the committee’s next meeting. The committee also signaled it will continue to consider structural options for longer‑term police funding.