Your Library Needs You
Due to the importance of the upcoming Girard City Council Meeting this Monday I am writing to provide additional facts about the city budget and the library budget. I also want to clarify some misinformation that has been stated.
The library had reduced the budget this year $4,162.60 (3 %). The city's budget was increased .645%. All city council transfers from the electric department totaled $249,000 with $235,000 for the city's 8.5 departments at $27,647 each and $14,000 for the library which the three city council members cut, now our budget has been reduced 12% or a total of $18,162.60.
Three of city council members had some concerns about the library and expressed them to the board. Wanting to comply with the city council, we went to work and met every concern they presented, yet those efforts were not honored.
1. Reduced our staff by one full time person
2. Reduced our Health Ins. coverage to match the cities
3. Invested our funds in an endowment for better return
At this week’s city budget hearing Sandra Hallacy stated that the city had laid off two employees with families and that the library needed to let even more people go. Currently we have lost two full-time employees from the library and they have families too. Yet, the employees of the library seem to be of no importance to her. Now, even her most recent demand of another employee gone, is met.
There have also been comments concerning continuing education or contact hours that have been earned at the library. I worked for 18 years to achieve the 606 hours of Library Employee Education Program (LEEP) credit that I have. Gene Leigh a trustee stated in the Girard Press that there are two other full time employees and why not let them get some of those credits. First of all, there are currently three other full time employees and two part-time. I am proud to state that all library staff, whether full or part-time attend workshops and conferences and have amassed a total of 1,184 (LEEP) contact hours among them. Most workshops are offered at no cost. We are blessed to have a dedicated staff who work hard and want to better themselves at their jobs. Also the staff and myself attend several meetings in which (LEEP) credit is not given, but we feel they are important to our jobs and the library.
I must address the buzzwords “checks and balances”. I do not fully understand the extreme concern from the three council members about the library finances. Each month the seven library board members see every invoice along with the corresponding check and a detailed transaction report. As for the two or three checks kept in the office for middle of the month expenses the same procedure is followed and every check is accounted for. Randall Phillips, who is also the City’s auditor, is a very qualified auditor and is good to explain what we need to do to be financially competent and secure. In all of the 18 years I have been at the library the audits have been fine and there has never been an impropriety. That is not to say that I haven’t made any honest mistakes and had to correct them.
Lastly, I must state that the majority of the library board members are wonderful, qualified and capable people who volunteer their time for something that they believe in. They care about the library staff, programs, and materials. They take their responsibilities seriously and research the facts. Why three city council members would think that they have the professional knowledge or time needed to run a library is beyond my comprehension. Not a one of them has ever come to the library for a visit with me, let me show them around and how or why things are done as they are. Instead of all of the bickering over unsubstantiated matters why aren’t the three council members proud of the seven Library Board members, the library staff, and the programs. This method of governance has worked well for Girard for over 107 years and works for other city libraries across the state. It is very nearsighted to assume that city council members of the future would agree with such a drastic move. There has been no attempt from the council to work through these differences, or sit down together and discuss their concerns.
Our future services and programs may be very limited in the near future with such personnel and budget constraints, but as always we will rise to the occasion to provide the best possible programs and service we can. Please call your council person and plan to attend Monday’s (August 7, 2006) city meeting at 6:30pm in support of your library board.
The library had reduced the budget this year $4,162.60 (3 %). The city's budget was increased .645%. All city council transfers from the electric department totaled $249,000 with $235,000 for the city's 8.5 departments at $27,647 each and $14,000 for the library which the three city council members cut, now our budget has been reduced 12% or a total of $18,162.60.
Three of city council members had some concerns about the library and expressed them to the board. Wanting to comply with the city council, we went to work and met every concern they presented, yet those efforts were not honored.
1. Reduced our staff by one full time person
2. Reduced our Health Ins. coverage to match the cities
3. Invested our funds in an endowment for better return
At this week’s city budget hearing Sandra Hallacy stated that the city had laid off two employees with families and that the library needed to let even more people go. Currently we have lost two full-time employees from the library and they have families too. Yet, the employees of the library seem to be of no importance to her. Now, even her most recent demand of another employee gone, is met.
There have also been comments concerning continuing education or contact hours that have been earned at the library. I worked for 18 years to achieve the 606 hours of Library Employee Education Program (LEEP) credit that I have. Gene Leigh a trustee stated in the Girard Press that there are two other full time employees and why not let them get some of those credits. First of all, there are currently three other full time employees and two part-time. I am proud to state that all library staff, whether full or part-time attend workshops and conferences and have amassed a total of 1,184 (LEEP) contact hours among them. Most workshops are offered at no cost. We are blessed to have a dedicated staff who work hard and want to better themselves at their jobs. Also the staff and myself attend several meetings in which (LEEP) credit is not given, but we feel they are important to our jobs and the library.
I must address the buzzwords “checks and balances”. I do not fully understand the extreme concern from the three council members about the library finances. Each month the seven library board members see every invoice along with the corresponding check and a detailed transaction report. As for the two or three checks kept in the office for middle of the month expenses the same procedure is followed and every check is accounted for. Randall Phillips, who is also the City’s auditor, is a very qualified auditor and is good to explain what we need to do to be financially competent and secure. In all of the 18 years I have been at the library the audits have been fine and there has never been an impropriety. That is not to say that I haven’t made any honest mistakes and had to correct them.
Lastly, I must state that the majority of the library board members are wonderful, qualified and capable people who volunteer their time for something that they believe in. They care about the library staff, programs, and materials. They take their responsibilities seriously and research the facts. Why three city council members would think that they have the professional knowledge or time needed to run a library is beyond my comprehension. Not a one of them has ever come to the library for a visit with me, let me show them around and how or why things are done as they are. Instead of all of the bickering over unsubstantiated matters why aren’t the three council members proud of the seven Library Board members, the library staff, and the programs. This method of governance has worked well for Girard for over 107 years and works for other city libraries across the state. It is very nearsighted to assume that city council members of the future would agree with such a drastic move. There has been no attempt from the council to work through these differences, or sit down together and discuss their concerns.
Our future services and programs may be very limited in the near future with such personnel and budget constraints, but as always we will rise to the occasion to provide the best possible programs and service we can. Please call your council person and plan to attend Monday’s (August 7, 2006) city meeting at 6:30pm in support of your library board.
posted by Library Director at 4:37 PM
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