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Library imposes vendor fees for food trucks, yard sales
BY ROGER SMITH MOUNTAIN CITIZEN INEZ — Food trucks and roadside vendors will now have to pay to set up in the Collier Center parking lot. The Martin County Public Library announced Monday in a Facebook post that food trucks must pay a $50 setup fee, while yard sales and roadside sellers will have to
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Vital library services must not be disrupted
BY DENISE LYONS Team Kentucky is committed to serving the educational and informational needs of Kentuckians, which includes providing access to high-quality public library resources and services. In 2024, there were more than 11 million total visits to Kentucky’s public libraries, including nearly 2 million visits by those under age 18, who attended almost 75,000
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Library board grapples with $306k deficit in Martin County
BY LISA STAYTON MOUNTAIN CITIZEN INEZ — The Martin County Public Library found itself facing a financial deficit of $306,511 through the first four months of the fiscal year. In a Nov. 25 meeting, the library board presented a financial statement outlining income of $162,801 and expenditures totaling $469,312 through Oct. 31. Although not reflected
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Library board’s cash balance drops; trustees take issue with Hall of Fame
BY LISA STAYTON MOUNTAIN CITIZEN INEZ — The Martin County Public Library District’s cash balance dropped significantly from $47,365 in June to $14,856 at the end of July, according to the district’s financial reports. The board of trustees met Monday evening and approved financial statements for both June and July without any discussion. The July
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Thrive Community Coalition halts lease of former library amid financial concerns
BY ROGER SMITH MOUNTAIN CITIZEN INEZ — Eric Mills, founder of the Thrive Community Coalition, announced Tuesday that he will not proceed with leasing the former library facility in Inez. This decision follows a recent audit revealing financial difficulties within the Martin County Library Taxing District. Although the library board of trustees approved the lease
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Library should be a library
The library needs to move out of the community center building and back into the library building. Why? Simple. The library cannot afford the upkeep of the community center building. The library moved into the Roy F. Collier Community Center in 2020. In 2019, the library finished the year with $914,000 in cash in the
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Audit reveals library’s cash in bank ‘dwindling’
BY LISA STAYTON MOUNTAIN CITIZEN INEZ — The latest audit of the Martin County Public Library Taxing District (MCPL) revealed that cash in the bank “is dwindling,” a downward trend that began in 2020 after relocating from the former library facility to the Collier Center in Inez. The MCPL board of trustees received the audit
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Top readers win bicycles in Summer Reading program
CITIZEN STAFF REPORT INEZ — The Martin County Public Library has announced the winners of its Summer Reading program: Madison Sullivan, Drake Evans, Alison Lindsay and Levi Lindsay. The top readers in each age group received bicycles donated by Tommy’s Auto Sales of Inez. For younger children, the winners were chosen based on the number
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Trustee proposes library relocate to former building in Inez
BY ROGER SMITH MOUNTAIN CITIZEN INEZ — The Martin County Public Library Taxing District is facing financial difficulties prompting one board trustee to suggest relocating the library back to its former building on Main Street. During a special meeting June 26 the library board approved a budget of $899,250 for the fiscal year 2025. The
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Collier Center rolls out new chiller ahead of summer heat
BY ROGER SMITH MOUNTAIN CITIZEN INEZ — The Martin County Public Library/Collier Center is experiencing a significant drop in temperature following the installation of a new air-conditioning system last week, library officials announced. During a special board meeting May 29, member Barry Webb provided an update from a representative of Elliott Contracting, the Pikeville-based company
