Supporters of the library won a victory at Pelham’s deliberative session of Town Meeting when they persuaded voters to restore $16,000 to the library’s budget.

The move came when voters took up the town’s 2008 proposed operating budget, one of 20 warrant articles discussed during the Tuesday, Feb. 5, session at Pelham Elementary School. The $16,000 restored some of the money previously cut from the library’s budget by the Budget Committee.

Debbie Kruzel, who asked for the $16,000, said that if the money was not restored, the library would return to its 2004 spending level.

The number of patrons coming into the building and number of library programs have increased significantly in recent years, she said.

“The library actually provides services for every generation in town,” said Kruzel, who wore a red shirt that read “We Support Our Library.”

Library director Sue Hoadley said the money would allow her to provide modest pay increases to employees and restore the library’s operating hours to 50 hours a week. It had been reduced to 42 hours.

Tammy Wilson said it’s upsetting to take her family to the library only to discover it’s closed.

“It seems like a small amount of money for a big benefit for a lot of people,” she said of the $16,000 request.

Budget Committee Chairman John Lavallee said that budgets of other town departments were cut, and he took issue with a comment made by one resident that the cut to the library’s budget was arbitrary.

By adding $16,000 to the library budget, the proposed town operating budget now stands at $10,893,184.

Earlier in the meeting, there was little debate on a $4,273,000 warrant article to build a new central fire station, although some residents said they preferred a substation to be built in another part of town.

In advocating for a new central station, Selectman Bob Haverty said the town’s 37-yearold fire station, located in the town center, can no longer meet the needs of the community. The building, Haverty said, has inadequate living space for full-time firefighters, cramped garage space, a failing septic system and no room for larger, additional equipment needed as the community grows. It doesn’t meet local fire and electrical codes, federal occupational, safety and health standards, and the recommendations of the National Fire Protection Association.

The building plan being proposed is cheaper than the one voters turned down last year, Haverty said.

“This station was designed to be no bigger than is needed in the immediate future but will easily expand as the town undoubtedly grows in the future,” he added.

Because it’s a bond article, it requires a 60 percent majority at the March 11 elections.