Fairhope, Alabama
2017 BUDGET PROPOSAL
During her 2017 budget proposal presentation to the city council last week, mayor Wilson proposed the city take control of library operations to save about $118K per year.
Currently, the library is its own entity, separate from the city, governed by a Library Board appointed under state law but funded primarily by city taxpayers through yearly appropriations: it has requested $858K from the city this year.
By bringing it under the city and running it as another department instead, duplication of administrative and other services (ie. janitorial, copier maintenance, etc.) would bring that down to about $586K for a savings of $168K.
Benefits for library employees would improve as well if they joined the general workforce, according to the mayor.
The library would keep all of its current sources of revenue, late-fees, donations from Friend of the Library, etc., (about $75K/year) and she is proposing adding another $50k to that from city coffers this year.
LIBRARY BOARD OPPOSED
According to liaison Councilman Conyers, the current library board "adamantly opposes" the change; when asked about it by a Times reporter, one board member questioned the city's ability to operate it effectively.
The city owns and maintains the building; the library board supervises operations only.
A library board is needed to qualify for certain state/federal grants as well: about $7K last year.
We asked the mayor, councilmen Burrell and Conyers for further comments but they have yet to respond.
The city council will have to approve any changes.
(Engineering firm Goodwyn, Mills and Caywood is currently evaluating the building's leaking roof, peeling stucco and other chronic issues: repair estimates we have heard range from $300K - 700K. Those are the city's responsibility on top of all other costs.)
2017 BUDGET PROPOSAL
During her 2017 budget proposal presentation to the city council last week, mayor Wilson proposed the city take control of library operations to save about $118K per year.
Currently, the library is its own entity, separate from the city, governed by a Library Board appointed under state law but funded primarily by city taxpayers through yearly appropriations: it has requested $858K from the city this year.
By bringing it under the city and running it as another department instead, duplication of administrative and other services (ie. janitorial, copier maintenance, etc.) would bring that down to about $586K for a savings of $168K.
Benefits for library employees would improve as well if they joined the general workforce, according to the mayor.
The library would keep all of its current sources of revenue, late-fees, donations from Friend of the Library, etc., (about $75K/year) and she is proposing adding another $50k to that from city coffers this year.
LIBRARY BOARD OPPOSED
According to liaison Councilman Conyers, the current library board "adamantly opposes" the change; when asked about it by a Times reporter, one board member questioned the city's ability to operate it effectively.
The city owns and maintains the building; the library board supervises operations only.
A library board is needed to qualify for certain state/federal grants as well: about $7K last year.
We asked the mayor, councilmen Burrell and Conyers for further comments but they have yet to respond.
The city council will have to approve any changes.
(Engineering firm Goodwyn, Mills and Caywood is currently evaluating the building's leaking roof, peeling stucco and other chronic issues: repair estimates we have heard range from $300K - 700K. Those are the city's responsibility on top of all other costs.)
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| 2017 Budget presentation |
Comments
Hope Mayor Wilson brings this to fruition and it's done the right way.
The Library doesn't even have their own Human Resources department.
Get a grip! This is all about saving money for the city; as it is now, the city pays our tax dollars to the library and its board is not voted in. We should not fund anything that the city does not control Let the Library Board find some other source of funding or let the City manage it. Looks like there may be some high admin salaries at the Library that are not necessary.
Maybe that's something the city should check into
Actually, this may not be a conflict but it should be disclosed, it's all about transparency, right? And while we are on the subject of transparency, in one of the first meetings with the city council did the mayor question the donation to the Fairhope Sunset Rotary Chapter, didn't she help found this?
Just need full disclosure since we all are now about transparency!
LOL, sorry guys, it seems like Fairhope is just as all the other cities in Alabama.
I like what was said about transparency - EVERYONE needs to become transparent!
BTW, the council was in executive session for a long time, and on the agenda, it was to discuss ligation and PENDING ligation - uhh - seems we may have more laws suits on our hands. It looks like this administration is in line with previous administrations. lol
Well yes, the people that work these "city jobs" help make Fairhope what it is. The road pavers, the electric guys hanging the lights, the garbage men, the flower folks... all dedicated individuals and deserve to be compensated. I know many of these people and they are dedicated to their careers and this beautiful community that we all love. Dedication and talent doesn't come free.
Yes, because 50 is great than 7.
Where did you go to school???
No, I am not kidding! It was a simple question, does her bookstore sell any books to any of the organizations that the city donates money! AND no, I don't know Kant, never have met him, but if you are a business owner in Fairhope, and you are in Fairhope administration, then everything that could be or appears to be a conflict needs to be disclosed.
The mayor said herself the lights on the trees benefits her store, that's on video but yet she was the one pushing for 'make the lights great again' when she first took office.
Let us face it, she owns an event center and bookstore downtown, anything that benefits the downtown business district also benefits her. Not saying she is doing anything wrong, she simply needs to disclose and stay out of the decisions making that may benefit her or any of her businesses.
Transparency, right!
Council - city manager government! Start the movement now!
I thought Fairhope was a community for All. It is a town that thrives on creativity, hospitality and much more.
We limit ourselves when we limit others.
I Can't imagine living in a world that Martin Luther King Jr. didn't start the Civil Rights Movement. There have been and continue to be many movements in the south that speak for up for race relations, equality for All, education,feed the hungry and many more.
So,to suggest that we don't have movements in the South is a misnomer.
To silence others and suggest they "don't fit " the community and should leave is unkind and sets a dangerous precedence.
We should ALL be a part of the solution, not the problem.