ALTAMONTE SPRINGS, Fla. — Altamonte Springs approved its new fiscal year budget with no funding for Red Hot & Boom, while adding an amendment to keep the city library funded through Sept. 30, 2027.

The library’s future drew much of the attention at the final budget hearing, where more than 15 people spoke in favor of keeping it open. Residents said the library is a valuable community resource and called for long-term funding.

The amended budget increases library funding from $266,326 to $500,000. The funding is expected to support library operations through Sept. 30, 2027.

Under the amendment, City Manager Frank Martz must prepare and present a public notice to the city commission at its October meeting. The notice will invite for-profit and nonprofit organizations to submit business plans and funding plans to operate the city’s library.

If no proposal is offered or accepted, the library would cease operations afterward, according to the language discussed in the amendment.

“What we hope to get over the following few months are nonprofits, very interested parties, people who are very interested in seeing the libraries survive and thrive, but also the potential of having private sector operators who have experience doing this,” Martz said.

Some residents who spoke at the hearing questioned the city’s budget priorities.

“I came up here to ask why you aren’t using our money on the library like you said you would,” one speaker said.

Another speaker, identified as Julie, said she had been reviewing the city budget and believed other cuts could have been made.

“I’m tired of spending all my evenings analyzing the city budget looking for wasted money,” she said.

Martz previously said he recommended closing the library because of rising costs and low visitor counts. He said Altamonte Springs has a little more than 5,400 active library cards, and less than a third have been used at all.

The budget also does not include funding for Red Hot & Boom. Martz described the event as “retired” and cited rising costs and inflation as reasons for ending it.