Middletown Township Public Library Meeting

As promised here is the video of Wednesday night's Middletown Library Board of Trustees meeting



And here is a rundown of what was discussed during the meeting and how the Library Board of  Trustees voted on closing the satellite branches of the library submitted to me by someone who was in attendance Wednesday night:

The Bayshore branch will no longer operate as a library but will still have computers and copiers to accommodate residents who are still struggling after Sandy. Middletown Township owns the building and will likely move offices there. Some materials will be brought back to the main branch and the remaining materials then offered to the elementary schools nearby.

The Navesink Branch will remain open on a limited basis under the control of the Duryea-Navesink Library Association---it seems they will operate like a reading room with volunteer staff, and the materials will remain at the branch until the Duryea-Navesink Library Association asks the Library Board to remove them. Other details were not discussed. The Association are determined to reach their 100th Anniversary celebration.

The Lincroft branch will close and the property returned to the Board of Education. Maintenance issues and upgrades were cited as the reason for closure by the Board.

The concessions given to the Lincroft and Navesink communities by the Library Board are:

• 1. The Navesink collection will remain mostly intact, but the computers will be removed. After moving some materials to the main branch, they would allow the Lincroft Elementary teaching staff to pick out materials from the Lincroft Library and offer some items to Luftman Towers and senior centers.
• 2. A 4th and 5th grade library training program will be initiated through the schools, either at the library or via internet
• 3. The preschoolers will have Story time for 6-8 more weeks at the branch if the library can find a volunteer among their staff to provide this service.
• 4. The book drop will remain open until May 1.

The votes to adopt the budget which included the branch closures were 5-2 as follows:
Siebert - YES
Nelsen - YES
Vitkansas - YES
Siwiec - YES
Monaghan - NO
Wilson - NO
Breen - YES (She said her heart wanted to vote No, and she asked if she could abstain, and she eventually voted YES)
Cordiano, Mayor's appointee - ABSENT (He knew at the January 16th Library Board meeting that he would not be in attendance tonight, and on that night I asked him to request that Dr. Scharfenberger attend this meeting.)
Convery - RESIGNED; Resignation letter submitted a week after the January 16th Library Board meeting (announced tonight, not prior to the meeting).

Mr. Monaghan showed tremendous courage before the vote by asking what savings could be derived from cutting back hours at the main branch, perhaps by closing Sundays (as in the summer). He asked why the Library Board was elevating the importance of operating hours at the main branch over keeping the satellite branches open. He insisted that there must be other options presented, like a package of cuts to consider besides just closing the branches. He asked for a recess of 5 minutes so that the Library Director Susan O'Neal could find any data defining the cost to operate on Sundays. It turned out that it costs the library $91,000 to remain open on Sundays (41 days total)....not enough by itself to keep the branches open. There was also some discussion on whether the labor contracts may or may not impact that cost.

1/16/13 Middletown Library Board Meeting: Library Closing Debated; Video

Last week the Middletown Library Board of Trustee met for its first regularly scheduled meeting of the year. After going through the normal routine of reorganizing the board - which seemed to take longer than necessary due to the relative inexperience of the current make up of the board -  a number of members of the public voiced their objections to the Board concerning the previously announced planned closure of Bayshore, Lincroft and Navesink branches the Middletown Library.

I couldn't attend this meeting myself  and have only been able to watch about half of the video below thus far. But thanks to the many articles popping up in the media about the potential closing of these branches and a concerned library patron and MiddletownMike reader named Tara, I've been able to keep abreast of what transpired during the meeting and what has happened since.

Tara was kind enough to share with me her notes from the meeting - which I've posted here -  so that when you watch the accompanying video, you'll be able to identify areas of concern:

Many residents made impassioned appeals to keep the libraries open. The young lady whose petition you posted on your blog spoke and mentioned studies where property values of homes within 1/4 mile of a library are higher than those further away. Of course, she also spoke about the many wonderful things the library offers.

A woman, Bernadette Masi, made an appeal for the Bayshore Library. She mentioned how Sandy had water surrounding the library but that it survived. She said, "God spared it from Sandy and now this board might take it away". She also talked about how so many residents of that area are using the computers there to fill out FEMA and insurance claims. Also mentioned was how the Bayshore area schools require homework to be submitted electronically and how many children in that area do not have computers. I was surprised, as were many others, when Vivian Breen commented a little later that nobody was making an appeal on behalf of the Bayshore Branch. She made a mistake saying that! That did not go over very well.

So much to write about but I have to rush! A new member of the board looked at the budget and asked how could the health insurance for 30 full time workers be $800,000 when the annual salaries for the entire staff is $1,600,000!? The new member was told if he had been at the meeting when the CFO explained it he would have known. When a resident asked the board during the public part of the meeting that, since they were at the meeting with the CFO, why don't THEY EXPLAIN IT. New board president, Brock Seibert, then acted in a rude manner to that man. But the man said he had every right to express himself for 5 minutes without being interrupted. Seibert told the new board member to speak to the CFO and/or the town administrator in the morning. A women from Lincroft said, "Let's ask the administrator now! He is sitting in the back row!" Seibert seemed very annoyed and basically ignored the request.

Many people offered to volunteer. Susan O'Neil said the workers union does not want volunteers to take away a job from a paid employee. Michael Vitkansas protested that, saying if people want to volunteer to save money to keep a library open that should be encouraged!

Some people said fundraising. Some people said fundraising does not work. I think those people just don't know how to throw a good party!

Michael Winchell of Duryea Navesink Libray Association spoke and mentioned reduced hours, which I also suggested to the board. He also said he was informed 20 days ago and told to keep it quiet.

Another woman spoke about the claims filed by the library staff. She said she the claims of the employees cost $500 but the township charged the library system $100,000 for the claims!

Vivian Breen said to the residents 'that you should have been taking to the township committee'. Someone said, we would have if we knew what was happening, if the library board did not first post this on Jan 11th, when residents have library cards with contact information. Notices could have been mailed to everyone with a library card.

Steve Monaghan and Michael Convery, along with the board's attorney, seemed the most willing to let the community come up with solutions. So the board voted to delay voting on the budget until Feb 20th. The residents came up with three representatives. One will represent each branch. Each will work among their local fellow residents to get a plan, then each representative will meet with the board to show a planned solution for each library.

Susan O'Neil said she could work to do that but I will mention that she did say that she was surprised how nobody mentioned what a beautiful library the main branch is and how she feels that the main library could become the hub of the community. Sure! Children and seniors will walk from their homes, along Route 35, to get to the hub of the community. How long would it take someone from Navesink, Locust, Lincroft or Bayshore to walk to 'the hub of the community'?

There was objection among the newly appointed Board members, enough that the Board decided to hold off on the closings until other methods of funding could be sourced. The Board selected volunteers from each area of town that has a branch to work with the Director and the Finance Committee on alternate funding, in addition to the portion of property taxes already designated for Library funding.

Here is a copy of the meeting agenda which includes the minutes from the December 18,2012 meeting of the library board.

Update on Middletown Township Public Library 2013 Budget and Branch Closings

Closure of the Bayshore, Lincroft and Navesink Branch Libraries has been postponed until March 1, 2013 by the Board of Trustees so that representatives of these local communities within the Township have an opportunity to work with the library’s Finance Committee to develop a viable alternative plan. Representing the Bayshore area will be Bernadette Massey, Melanie Elmiger will represent Lincroft, and Michael Winchell will represent Navesink. On the Library Finance Committee are Brock Siebert, President of the Board, David Siwiec, Treasurer, Lawrence Nelsen, Vice President, new Trustee Robert Cordiano, and Library Director Susan O’Neal. An invitation to join this committee will be extended to the Middletown Township Board of Education.

If a viable plan is not developed for a branch by the February 20th meeting of the library board, it will be closed on March 1. Please check the library’s web page [www.mtpl.org] for updates including contact information for the members of the committee. This information will be posted as soon as possible.

Susan O’Neal, Director

MTPL Board of Trustees: Please stop the closing of the Navesink Public Library

Maile McCann, a 15 year old Navesink resident has started a petition to save the Navesink library branch from being closed. She has compiled survey results from patrons and other statistics demonstrating how property values are enhanced when located near a library branch.

To:
MTPL Board of Trustees

The Navesink library is the hub of a small, close- knit town that provides locals with educational resources as well as family programs. Closing the library would devastate the community and strip the residents of their convenient access to these resources and programs. Elderly can walk or drive over at their leisure to access resources that normally wouldn't be accessible at the main library. Families with children come for story time and Reading Buddies. The love of this library felt by the community is indescribable. It's closing would decimate the hearts of patrons. On behalf of all the residents of Navesink, please reconsider the closing of the Navesink Public Library.

The vote to close this branch takes place Wednesday night at 7pm when the Library Board of Trustees  meets at the main branch of the Middletown Library on New Monmouth Road.

Currently 200 people have signed the petition, hopefully more will follow to let those on the Library's Board of Trustees know that closing this or any other branch of the library is unacceptable.

You can sign the petition.... HERE 

NOTICE FROM THE LIBRARY DIRECTOR: All Branch Libraries To Close on Friday 1/25/13

Pending final approval of the Trustees of the Library, we regretfully announce that all branch libraries are scheduled to be closed to the public on Friday, January 25, 2013, at 5:00 pm.

This action is necessary due to major budgetary constraints. Discussions with local community groups and schools will continue to pursue ideas and possibilities for some type of neighborhood library services in the future.

Customers who registered for library cards at branches will have their cards automatically changed to Main. All HOLDS will be picked up at the Main Library. Outside book drops at the branches will remain open for a few weeks into February.

Additional programs for children are being scheduled at the Main Library to compensate for the loss of the branch programs. We welcome the regular customers of the branches to the Main Library where, after January 25th, you will find the familiar faces of our branch personnel.

Susan O’Neal, Director

SAVE OUR LIBRARY! - Library Board Meeting Wed December 19th, 7pm

The Lincroft Village Green Association has serious concerns about the actions and decisions of both the Middletown Township Committee and the Middletown Township Library Board of Trustees in matters affecting the Middletown library budget.

The 2013 library budget is projected as a deficit of $477,900 due to a decrease in funding, an excessive increase in township chargebacks, and the depletion of library reserves after a $499,947 transfer was made at the request of the township in 2011.

The likely results of this deficit will be:

· Branch closures (Lincroft, Bayshore, and Navesink)
· Cuts to library services and materials
· Decrease in operating hours at the main branch
· Increase in user fees and fines to increase revenue
· Layoffs of staff
· De-municipalization: Middletown's library system could be turned over to the Monmouth County Library system.

The LVGA recognizes that Middletown residents will be adversely affected if these cuts to services occur. The Free Public Library as an institution is a vital and valued public service which contributes in a meaningful way to the quality of life in our community.

If you value your library, we encourage you to attend the next Middletown Library Board of Trustees meeting on Wednesday, December 19, 2012 at 7:00pm at the Main Branch, 55 New Monmouth Road. Meeting agenda click here The LVGA believes that a public forum should be held without delay to inform the public about the budget crisis and its impact on our residents and students.

Associated Links:

Library Budget FACTS: Understanding the Numbers
Township Library Charge Back For 2012 Budget Year letter (June 7, 2012)
Letter from concerned library advocate regarding chargebacks
Library Meeting Agenda


Quick Links:

LVGA Website 
Newsletter & 2013 Membership Drive