Middletown Library Trustees Postpone Branch Closure Decision
But the board also gave formal notice the Navesink, Lincroft and Bayshore branches will be closed on March 1 -- unless a better solution can be found.
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After hearing from passionate supporters of the township library branches at a public meeting Wednesday night, the 9-member Middletown Township Library Board of Trustees unanimously decided to postpone a vote on the 2013 budget that could have shut the Navesink, Lincroft and Bayshore branches next week.
The issue will be discussed at the next public meeting on Feb. 20, after a newly formed committee takes a crack at alternative solutions, such as private fundraising, volunteers, reduced hours, or alliances with the Board of Education.
But the very real possibility that a yearly $300,000 shortfall would not be easily raised by other means was reflected in a second motion to close the branches on March 1 "unless some other action is taken by the board." It was passed 6-3.
"I'm not happy about this. This is the worst day in my professional career, to be perfectly honest," said Library Director Susan O'Neal, a non-voting member on the board, in comments to the room full of 100 people, some of them children. "The fact that you came out, and wanted to talk about it, and there's a promise we might come up with something --- I'll make it happen. I'll do my very best."
At the board's invitation, three citizens stepped forward to volunteer time to explore solutions with the board's Finance Committee and Director O'Neal. They are Michael Winchell for the Navesink branch, Melanie Elmiger for the Lincroft Branch, and Bernadette Massey of Port Monmouth, for the Bayshore branch.
O'Neal said the board had discussed the serious budget problems at board meetings in recent months, and came to the painful decision to close the branches on Dec. 3
Before coming to this critical point, the library system's fiscal problems have been festering for the past few years, said O'Neal.
In 2010, the board started transferring money from the reserves to shore up its own operating budget.
In 2011, the board transferred $500,000 to the towship in a chargeback to make up for pension costs -- money that O'Neal said was earmarked to upgrade the aging Lincroft library.
The library's buget is tied to the township's fortunes, and has shrunk with the downturn of assessed taxable property values. In 2009 the budget was $4.1 million. Now, in 2013, it is projected to be $3.4 million. "We had to make up a decline in our funding -- and an increase in expenses -- at the same time," said O'Neal. "The impact has been devastating."
The effect of Superstorm Sandy on the township's tax base is unknown, but not expected to make anything better.
Due to attrition, the main library's staff of 40 is already down "six or seven" people, which would make it difficult to maintain the same level of staffing at the branches with fewer employees, O'Neal said.
Legion
7:28 am on Thursday, January 17, 2013
Volunteers won't cut it. Private fund raising likely won't either.
What's really needed is a petition to the Township Committee - signed by at least ten percent of registered voters in town - to raise property taxes as far beyond the 2% cap as necessary to make up the Library shortfall. Given the $700K gap, this would likely be about an additional 2% for 2013. If there are sufficient number of taxpayers who are willing to sign such a petition, the TC would probably consider putting that on the ballot in the Fall as a referendum.
It's real easy to talk about spending other people's money. Let's see if there would be enough support for a tax increase, enough people who want to support the Library from their own pockets....
Limulus Polyphemus
12:17 pm on Thursday, January 17, 2013
At first I thought you were just crazy - then I saw where you are going. Why only 10% - why not a majority? People should just pay to use the library if they use it.
Legion
1:27 pm on Thursday, January 17, 2013
Lim -
10% of registered voters on a petition would be enough to indicate that thee was enough interest in the idea to proceed. I still don't think it would pass or that it should pass, but at least the option would be there for those who want to pay more taxes to support the Library.
A "Subscription Library" is quite different than what is in place now and would require legal changes to the structure of the Library - and mean giving up the tax dollars that support it. That's not likely to happen.
Gordon York
8:53 am on Thursday, January 17, 2013
A real leader would recognize the value of libraries in our community and offer a compelling argument to the people of Middletown to raise the funds necessary to support the library. Too bad Middletown doesn't have any real leaders on the township committee.
bd
9:31 am on Thursday, January 17, 2013
so we can expect to see you out there leading a movement to maintain funding----a leader would do that, an internet troll would just keep posting nasty comments.
KB
11:04 am on Thursday, January 17, 2013
Actually it is clear from some who comment on this site that being a Middletown town leader and an internet troll are not mutually exclusive. There are legions of them posting here.
njx
11:23 am on Thursday, January 17, 2013
It's simple. Start charging a yearly membership fee to use the library. That is fair. The value of libraries to the community is more accurately stated as the value of libraries to SOME people in the community. Other people are quite happy to use the Internet, read e-books, etc.
If a "compelling argument" were made to the people of Middletown, and the people voted no, I have no doubt that the next step would be to try to force people to pay up, anyway.
Joe
9:19 pm on Thursday, January 17, 2013
Hey Gordon York - I have great news for you! The library ISN'T closing down, just the three branches that hardly anyone uses. You are typical of the liberal Democrats who think there is a money tree to shake to satisfy everyone's whim. I am stunned that at one time the library was getting over 4 million dollars. For what????? Why does it take so much to stack books on shelves? There must be so much waste in that library, I 'm glad the board is finally putting a stop to the insanity there. I guess when you have that much money to play with, 6% raises and weekly overtime is nothing.
commonman
9:01 am on Thursday, January 17, 2013
there is a new fangled machince called the internet. town only needs one library get a grip does anybody realize how over taxed the town is already last thing i want my tax dollars paying for is to keep alive a dying institution
Jay Christopher
9:35 am on Thursday, January 17, 2013
A dying institution? For the past three years, circulation at the Middletown Library exceeded 1,000,000 items. Public computer usage at the library is at a premium. Programs, both adult and children, are well attended. School children who no longer have library facilties rely on the public library. The library is a focal point for the community. You need to get a grip on the facts.
Wendy G.
10:48 am on Thursday, January 17, 2013
Jay Christopher is correct, library usage is up not down, as noted in several recent news stories. Libraries are one of our most important public resources, and one I will happily join the fight to keep.
Limulus Polyphemus
12:19 pm on Thursday, January 17, 2013
What is the librabries budget? Charge for the computer usage and $1 per piece and you have over $1,000,000. Simple.
Joe
9:20 pm on Thursday, January 17, 2013
So Wendy I guess you will open your checkbook to supplement the millions they already get, right?
njx
10:17 am on Thursday, January 17, 2013
If you could take a time machine 100 years into the future, you will probably be shocked to discover that there are no libraries anywhere in America. It is inevitable.
Belford Bob
1:08 pm on Thursday, January 17, 2013
The only malfesence I see would be if the governing body did not corral this runaway spending spree at the library. Library usage is not down because libraries have now become the new taxpayer funded blockbuster video. Book borrowing is down, DVDs are up. Ever wonder why libraries need to rent free DVDs and CDs? is that the function of the library?
Legion
1:28 pm on Thursday, January 17, 2013
KB -
Thank you for recognizing that I AM a leader. Not too many people give me credit for that...
Limulus Polyphemus
2:07 pm on Thursday, January 17, 2013
Please run for mayor. We will all support you.
zelikelly
3:02 pm on Thursday, January 17, 2013
Our biggest complaint is that they didnt warn us this was happening. When the town took $499,000+ from the library surplus 2 years ago, at that point they should have reached out to all the residents to look for a solution, not wait until the zero hour and tell us its too late. I was at the meeting last night and after hover an hour of heartfelt and thoughtful suggestions, the first comment from the board was basically, (I'm paraphrasing) Well, it's a tough decision, but we have to make it - sorry.
The main branch of the library is a 20 car ride from my house. It is not safe for children to walk or ride their bikes there. The small branches offer a comfortable places where small children can talk out loud and run around a little and learn to love books. Bridgit goes to the library every week and reads every day. we would not have that luxury if we have to travel 20 minutes to get to the library.
mary
5:32 pm on Thursday, January 17, 2013
I am appalled that when a different library board was able to amass a $500,000 surplus with a daily fine for overdue books at 10 cents a day in one year with a daily fine of 25 cents a day for each overdue books now there isn't enough money to keep the branches open. It is amazing that on the very same "Patch" day we find out that the town council gives health and pension benefits for people on the Sewerage Authority who meet once a month. Perhaps that $100,000 could be funneled to the library for the benefit of the whole town.
Belford Bob
5:50 pm on Thursday, January 17, 2013
Where in Middletown do you live that you are 20 minutes from a library? If you live in Navesink, you can use the Atlantic Highlands library which is about 5 mins away. It's part of the county system so you are a county resident. If you live in Lincroft, you are no more than 10 mins from the Shrewsbury Branch if you dont want to go to main. That's also county.
As for the salaries and benefits at the Sewer Authority, apples and oranges. The Sewer Authority operates the lowest fees in all of NJ for sewers. Why would anyone change that?
Legion
6:08 pm on Thursday, January 17, 2013
Actually, Mary, the Township Committee doesn't give anything to the members of the Sewerage Authority Board. The Sewerage Authority has it's own budget and expends it's own funds as IT decides. Members are appointed by the Township Committee and the Committee also sets the regulations under which the Authority runs (as well as state law), but that's it. Maybe before you criticize the "town council" you should find out the facts...
Joe
9:24 pm on Thursday, January 17, 2013
Right Legion - this is just the hapless Democrats fishing for an issue. We have the lowest sewer rates in the state and the best service, with a large portion coming from fees outside of Middletown. Leave it to the Democrats to attack an efficient, low cost entity.
Linda Baum
12:27 pm on Friday, January 18, 2013
Board members don't deserve compensation, and it doesn’t matter what public funding source they are paid from, whether it’s TOMSA’s budget or the Township’s. TOMSA is a public entity, so the revenue is public money.
Many people are not aware that for each of the last three years, 2010-2012, TOMSA transferred about $370K a year to the Twp for tax relief. Money saved by not paying excessive compensation to board appointees is more money for tax relief.
Yes, TOMSA controls its own budget and pays its board, but they must comply with Township ordinances regarding board compensation. Thus, our Township Committee, not TOMSA, controls whether or not board appointees receive salary and benefits.
bugeyes923
8:07 pm on Thursday, January 17, 2013
Belford Bob you are wrong. If you are a Middletown Resident YOU CANNOT use a Monmouth County Library unless you pay a fee of $100.00 yearly since Middletown has it's own library.and it is free to its residents. Just like someone who lives in Hazlet or Freehold cannot use the Middletown Library unless they pay a fee.If you work or go to a Middletown school or go to Brookdale College and can show proof than you will also get a free card for a year.
Carol Fowler
8:23 pm on Thursday, January 17, 2013
Except, Belford Bob, we are not a "Member Municipality" - we don't pay the county library tax, since we have our own in Middletown. So, if the 20 minute car ride mom wanted to use one of the libraries you mentioned, she'd have to pay $100.00 per annum for her county library card, on top of the library line item she pays on taxes for here.
http://www.monmouthcountylib.org/index.php/about-us/library-cards
Legion
10:27 pm on Thursday, January 17, 2013
So she has the same choice before no matter what library she goes to - either pay more for convenience or drive. I wonder if she goes to the gym weekly - is that in walking distance from her house? Is the place where she gets her coffee in the morning? Let's not make like most people who go to the library - any of them don't have cars, or even the means to purchase books.
Things cost money - taxpayer dollars. Stand up for higher taxes if that's what you want. I don't, but that is the only real answer here.
Belford Bob
10:47 am on Friday, January 18, 2013
So what you are saying is that parents can drive their kids to dance class, karate school, or to athletic events throughout the town, but they can't drive them to the library????