This story was reported and written by our media partner Williamsburg Watch.
York County just served notice that it wants to terminate its participation in the Williamsburg Regional Library system unless the existing agreement with James City County and Williamsburg can be modified.
County Administrator Mark. L. Bellamy, Jr. sent the notice Monday in a letter to the Williamsburg city manager and the county administrator of James City County, as well as to the Williamsburg Regional Library Board of Trustees.
The termination would take effect June 30, 2027.
“Things have got to change,” we were told by Doug Holroyd, the York Supervisor who represents the county’s District 1. In a newsletter sent to his constituents today, Holroyd noted York County’s cost “has grown dramatically, up from $828,000 in 2024 to $890,000 for the (Fiscal Year) 2026 budget.”
Holroyd said the county does not want to leave the regional group but wants to change how it pays for it.
It’s another pothole on the road to Williamsburg City Council’s desire to build a new city library.
And it’s one more difficult regional discussion over money, at a time when Williamsburg and James City County have yet to conclude their two-year-old discussion over how to pay for their joint school system.
One key element in both agreements is that, as James City County’s population has grown, its taxpayers have become the majority of users of both the library and the schools.
In his letter to the local government officials, Bellamy said the need for a new agreement was underscored by the announcement that in addition to a proposed new library in Williamsburg, James City County also plans to build a library next to its proposed new government center.
Sandy Towers, the executive director of the library system, noted the localities have been talking about another library location in James City County since 2007. The library was in the county’s capital budget in 2009, dropped out after five years, and was reinstated in 2019 and has been there since then, she said.
According to the James City County budget, James City pays the largest share of operating costs -- $6,305,170 for this coming year -- because its residents account for 73% of the items checked out from the library system. Williamsburg and York County residents almost equally divide the balance of use.
Williamsburg’s budget for next year includes $1.141 million for the regional library and York County is paying $890,000.
Towers told us York can only pay 80% of what should be its share of operating costs because it has its own library system and would risk state funding for that if it were a full partner in the regional system.
York County residents in adjacent districts are using the Williamsburg library, Towers said, and “they consider themselves as Williamsburg residents.”
“York County recognizes its value,” she added.
