Library Branches In Middletown To Close

At last night's meeting of the Middletown Library Board of Trustees, the board voted 5-2 to close the 3 satellite branches of the Middletown Library system; The Bayshore, Lincroft and Navisink branches will be closed as of March 1st.

I wasn't at the meeting last night but have heard quiet a bit about it 2nd hand, I'll be posting a video recording of the nearly 3 hour long meeting when it becomes available later.

In the mean time, Middletown Patch has most of the details posted online and I've posted the fates of each branch below as announced last night and appearing on by Patch.

If you jump over to Patch to read the article make sure to read the comments left by readers. It never ceases to amaze me how ignorant, self-centered, cruel and cold most people are when they choose to post under assumed names and aliases. They are cowardly bullies that would be ashamed of themselves if friends and neighbors ever were to find out their true identities and it is even a bigger shame when those post anonymously because they are afraid to show their support for a cause because they are afraid of potential retribution from Middletown administrators or agencies:


BAYSHORE BRANCH

The Bayshore Branch on Main Street in Port Monmouth is actually owned by the township. O'Neal noted the township's governing body has said that if they make use of the space for offices, they have made a verbal commitment to allow residents to come in to use the public computers there during business hours. If another alternative is needed, the Tonya Keller Center at Ideal Beach could be considered.

The library would allow teachers in the Port Monmouth, Bayside, Ocean Avenue and Harmony Schools to come pick out any materials they can use in their classrooms.

A 4th and 5th grade libary skills training program will be initiated with the local schools, either at the library or via the Internet.

Additional storytime for preschoolers by "Miss Grace" will be scheduled on the same day of the week as they were at the Bayshore branch.

Promotion of the "Books in Schools" program will be stepped up.

The book drop will remain there until May 1.

LINCROFT BRANCH:

The Lincroft library will revert back to the Middletown Board of Education. The library will move slowly on the removal of materials, in the event some alternative comes up.

The Lincroft Elementary School teachers will be invited to come pick out any materials they can use in classrooms.

A 4th and 5th grade libary skills training program will be initiated with the local schools, either at the library or via the Internet.

For preschoolers, if the library can find a volunteer among staff to perform an unpaid service, an additional storytime a preschool storytime will be conducted one morning per week for an additional 6-8 weeks.

At the main library, librarians are already scheduling an additional storytime on the same day of the week (Friday) as it was at the Lincroft branch, with "Miss Eileen" when she is available.

Promotion of the "Books in Schools" program will be stepped up.

The book drop will remain there until May 1.

NAVESINK BRANCH:

The Navesink Library, the original headquarters, is owned by the Duryea-Navesink Library Association.
The library will leave the collection intact, save for some materials needed at the main branch, and computer equipment.

A 4th and 5th grade libary skills training program will be initiated with the local schools, either at the library or via the Internet.

At the main library, librarians are already scheduling an additional storytime on the same day of the week as it was at the Navesink branch.

Promotion of the "Books in Schools" program will be stepped up.

The book drop will remain there open until May 1.

Three Middletown Library Branches Likely Closing

This article has also been posted on Middletown-Patch

By Linda Baum

The Middletown Library Board will meet at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, December 19 at the Library’s main branch on 55 New Monmouth Road. The meeting is open to the public. If you care about your Library, you will not want to miss this opportunity to help shape its future as service cuts loom. See the meeting agenda here.

A lot has gone on with regard to our Library over the last two years. In 2011, under pressure to do so, the Library Board agreed to transfer $499,947 of Library funds to the Township. That was followed in mid-2012 by an unexpected, and potentially excessive, increase of several hundred thousand in the amount charged by the Township for services it handles on the Library’s behalf. There were also significant changes to the Library Board’s membership this year.

The Library’s primary source of funding comes from its municipal appropriation. The minimum funding level, established by law, is based on equalized valuations for properties in the Township. The municipal appropriation is $3,470,977 for 2013 and has declined almost $700,000 since 2009 in line with reduced property values. Prior to the 2011 transfer of funds to the Township, the Library had about $1.3 million in reserves. That may sound like a lot, but it is clear how quickly revenue reductions and expense increases can change the Library’s financial picture. Reserves are necessary to maintain the level of services from year to year, and are also set aside for capital improvements. I am not sure of the amount of reserves available now. It may be a few hundred thousand, but that is hardly enough if funding levels continue to drop and extraordinary expenses – such as replacement of aging air conditioning and heating units – arise.

http://www.lincroftvillagegreen.org/pdf/LibraryBudgetFACTS_FINAL.pdf

As mentioned above, the Township handles certain functions for the Library, mainly payroll, benefits, and insurance coverages. The Library reimburses the Township for these “chargebacks”, a common arrangement for many towns. For 2012, the Township significantly increased the amount of the chargeback for the year by $338,493, representing more than a 30% increase from the prior year, as spelled out in the following letter to the Library Board this June:

http://ia601209.us.archive.org/25/items/MiddletownTownshipChargebackLetter6712/DOC062112.pdf

My review of the 2012 chargeback analysis uncovered significant overcharges for certain line items. For a detailed explanation, see the letter I wrote on this topic:

  http://archive.org/details/DivisionOfLocalGovernmentServicesLetter

It is important to scrutinize the 2012 chargeback calculation because inaccuracies may perpetuate into future years. Unfortunately, the Library trustees quickly approved the chargeback without asking questions or demanding answers, even after errors were brought to their attention.

The Township determines the chargeback amount annually and removes that amount from the Library’s municipal appropriation monies under the Township’s control. (This year some monies also came from the Library’s other funds, like fines & copier fees, to pay the bill.) Historically, the Library has little say in the determination of the chargeback, has never not paid the chargeback, and has received little supporting documentation for any year to verify the accuracy of the amount charged. In spite of that, Township officials are now claiming that the Library did not pay its share of pension costs for one or more prior years. This accusation is unfair since the chargeback calculation was not within the Library’s control. Further, if a line item breakdown of costs was not provided for prior years – and I don’t believe one was – the Library would have no way of knowing what costs were included in the total charge. Regardless, it is not clear to me what this issue has to do with the 2012 chargeback calculation, unless the intent is to justify excessive charges this year, which only leads to more questions about the accuracy of charges in prior years.

Something else I would like to shed light on are the Library employee raises that Township Committee members have been critical of. The 6% raises were per the 2007 library employees’ contract, running 2007-2009. The contract broke ground in that it included a contribution toward health benefits of 2% of salary. Library employees were the first in the Township to start paying toward their health benefits, ahead of police unions who began paying 1.5% in 2010 and other Township employees who began contributing 1.5% in 2011. The raises were also intended to bring library salaries to competitive levels in order to attract qualified individuals. Library employees received no raise in 2010, 1% in 2011, and 1% in 2012, and they continue to pay 2% toward health benefits, still more than other employees in the Township.

It is unfortunate that out Library and its dedicated Director, Susan O’Neal, have been the target of harsh and unfair criticism by Township officials. Our Library has been run successfully for many years under Ms. O’Neal’s leadership, keeping up with changing technology and providing programs that serve residents’ needs. Monies have been well managed and savings had been accumulated as required to ensure ongoing operations. But in spite of that, the Library – its Director – has been accused of not being able to live within a budget. That is absurd. We are very lucky to have Ms. O’Neal, who is regarded as being at the top of her field and who had the high honor last year of serving as president of the New Jersey Library Association.

Ms. O’Neal had the additional responsibility this year of providing training for 8 new board members -- 7 are new Township appointees and 1 is the School Superintendent's pick. The new appointments were for various reasons, including term expirations, resignations, and an increase in the size of the Board. The Board consisted of 7 seats prior to 2012. The Township Committee added two seats to the Library Board this year, increasing membership from 7 to 9. Thus, the Board was re-structured in a short amount of time.

In response to criticism over political interference in Library operations, Township elected officials have said that the Library is part of Township and that they would not do anything to harm it. However, I don’t think anyone can argue that the siphoning of nearly $500K in 2011 and the excessive chargeback in 2012 have harmed the Library, already strained by declining revenues and now facing big cuts that include branch closures, reductions in operating hours, and layoffs.

I hope this post helps residents to better understand the issues that may be addressed at Wednesday night’s meeting.

Something Fishy Is Going On At The Library Again

The situation at the library may be more dire than what Mr. Gabrielan has eluded to in the previous post. 

Over the past few days, I have been receiving various comments both anonymously and on the record, left in the comments section of this blog for posts Video: LVGA Meet The Candidates Night and Destruction of Library Board is Reason to Vote Democratic in Middletown . I've also received an  anonymous email from a library patron who said that they had overheard a conversation at the library pertaining to possible branch closings.

I don't know what it is all about but it is very concerning.

When I hear something more concrete or definite, I'll pass along my findings. I doubt very much however, anyone from the library board or township will speak of this matter on or off the record, seeing how they may be easily identified due to information provided and the possible ramifications that providing this type of information may have at this time. 

If anyone does have any information that can help me things together, don't be shy, please pass it along. I'll try to piece everything together, confirm what I can, then report the results.

Township Committee Actions Threaten Dismantling of Library Service

By Randell Gabrielan

The assault by the Middletown Township Committee on library funds threatens and will have the ultimate result of ending library service as township residents know, need, expect and love. The impending fiscal crisis is worsened by a reduction in equalized property valuations which will reduce the municipal appropriation, a not unreasonable practice, but one of the factors for which the library’s reserves, which were seized by the Committee, were intended to safeguard. After taking about $500,000 last year, the committee demanded and took additional funds this year, monies raised outside statutory municipal appropriations. The need to elect Linda Baum and place a voice for the people on the monolithic committee has become more urgent.

The Township is charging the library for ordinary municipal services in a manner and amounts that will end the library’s ability to maintain its hours, materials and branches. They provide no justification and regard the library as a profit center or piggy bank. The financial aspects of library operations are simple. The library pays for facilities, personnel and materials. The buildings need attention, even the totally rebuilt and now eight years old main library. Some are already saying that the branches are on the way out, a direct hit at the bayshore, Navesink and Lincroft. The new realities of the steep decline of planned revenue must have an impact on staffing and new materials. However, the township committee does not care and willingly makes war on its one facility that more residents need and use than any other. Linda Baum is a vocal advocate for an independent, property financed library.

After the township committee threatened to turn the library over to the county, but learned that it could not do so, it undertook a campaign to eviscerate the Middletown Library so residents might not care about the independence of our library and could conceivably vote in a referendum for a giveaway. But this is our library, built and paid for by Middletown to serve Middletown, operated by your staff to serve you, the people of Middletown. Your library needs at least one voice on the committee to defend it. Linda Baum is that voice.

Friends, users and advocates of our library may be expected to vote for Linda. Perhaps straight ticket Republicans may not, but they should reconsider. Regardless of a person’s broader political affiliation, local government is best run on a non-partisan basis, but if partisanship is the rule of the day, more than one voice is needed. All voters should realize that a strong, independent library is one of the assets that makes Middletown a desirable place and enhances and maintains your property values. The present dictatorial township committee, which runs a once-independent library board, would erode your property values as a convenience in their fiscal planning. They must have another voice and that voice should be Linda Baum. Voting to maintain the integrity of the library is also voting for quality of life in your town.