Senoia’s library employees are now county employees as the city rapidly moves towards ending its financial responsibility with the library.

“As of Oct.1, the library personnel are now county employees,” said city administrator Richard Ferry.

Ferry said the city decided that since the library system is now county-operated, it only makes sense for the city to step away,” he said.

Ferry met with county administrator Theron Gay and County Commissioner Paul Poole about the issue.

“Senoia residents are Coweta County residents, so our residents were having to pay twice for services,” he said.

The county officials agreed with Ferry, but said it would be a big fiscal hit for the county to absorb in one year. Ferry said the city agreed to give $20,000 to the library for the next five years, and then the county would absorb the total costs. Last year, the city budgeted about $110,000 for the library and Ferry said the funds saved from the library’s budget would be funneled toward the city’s new welcome center.

“We’ve got some good momentum going and need to keep the economic development ball rolling,” Ferry said.

The development limiting the city’s contributions to the library is now before the county’s library board. As a further part of the agreement, Ferry will no longer serve on the library board.

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