Altamonte Springs is voting Thursday, Sept 3 on whether to fund our only public library — this already almost happened once
Heads up, neighbors — mark your calendar.
Altamonte Springs City Commission has a vote coming up on library funding as part of the FY2027 budget. I confirmed this directly with the City Clerk’s Office and City Manager Frank Martz.
When: Thursday, September 3, 2026 — 7:00 PM
Where: City Hall Commission Chambers, 225 Newburyport Ave, Altamonte Springs, FL 32701
What you can do: Show up and sign up for public comment (arrive by 6:30 PM to get on the list). You don’t need to RSVP, and you don’t need to be an expert — just show up and say why the library matters to you.
Why this matters (if you weren’t around for round one):
In July 2024, the city announced plans to close the library permanently, citing a $600,000/year operating cost that didn’t fit the budget. Residents packed a special Commission meeting, a 9-year-old wrote a letter to a local meteorologist begging for help, and the Commission voted 4-1 to raise the millage rate specifically to keep the library open.
Here’s the catch: the city has confirmed on the record that the money from that tax increase was never actually earmarked for the library. It just goes into the General Fund like everything else. Which means this exact fight can come back around every single budget cycle — like it’s doing right now.
A few things worth knowing before Thursday:
• Seminole County has 5 library branches, and none of them are inside Altamonte Springs city limits. The nearest are in Apopka and Casselberry — not exactly walkable for a lot of families, seniors, or anyone without a car.
• Since 2024, CareerSource Central Florida opened a career-coaching hub inside the library — so this isn’t just about books anymore, it’s also regional workforce infrastructure.
• Meanwhile, neighboring Maitland (a smaller city) just broke ground on a brand-new $16 million library, funded by a voter-approved bond. Worth thinking about what that says about priorities.
You can reach out to the Mayor and Commissioners directly — they’re all publicly listed:
• Mayor Pat Bates — (407) 571-8980 — pbates@altamonte.org
• Commissioner Jim Turney (Dist. 1) — jturney@altamonte.org
• Commissioner Mike Brunscheen (Dist. 2) — MBrunscheen@altamonte.org
• Commissioner Sarah Reece (Dist. 3) — sreece@altamonte.org
• Commissioner Bob O’Malley (Dist. 4) — BOMalley@altamonte.org (he’s the one who called the 2024 meeting that saved it)
This is a small, specific ask — one meeting, one vote, a service that costs about 1% of the General Fund. Show up if you can.