MACHIAS, Maine — The Porter Memorial Library has received more than $13,000 in donations since the town cut its annual funding by $8,000.
At the Machias town meeting June 10, about 30 voters passed an article giving the library $20,000 for fiscal year 2016. The amount represents a cut of $8,000 or about 10 percent of the annual $80,000 budget, library board member Gerard NeCastro said.
The recent donations have represented approximately 16 percent of the overall budget.
The donations ranged from $25 from individuals to $1,000 from the Machias Savings Bank. A yard sale held at the Bluebird Ranch Restaurant in Machias raised $4,200 for the library, NeCastro said.
Library officials and the town selectmen have started a dialogue, which NeCastro hopes will result in a return to $28,000 in funding next year.