Present: Chairman Bud Williams, Councilor Bruce Stebbins, Councilor Pat Markey (Absent; Councilor Jimmy Ferrera) Helen Caulton Harris, Carol Leaders, Lee Fogarty, Emily Bader, Sharyn O’Reilly, Seth Racine (Financial Team), Dan Frazier, Mike Tuckey, Helen Boyle, Ann Ryan, Kat Wright, acting City Budget Director Seth Racine
Councilor Williams began by saying the meeting had been called in response to a letter from the library commission about the size of the 10.76% cut proposed in the library budget, nearly twice the cut proposed for other departments. Councilor Stebbins pointed out that the libraries are used across the city and that they have been rebuilt over the past few years. He wants to know what’s at risk if the cut proposed by the Mayor is sustained.
Councilor Markey put the cut in historical context in terms of hours of service in 2001 followed by cuts in 2003 which have never been fully restored in contrast to other departments which have gradually been restored to pre-2003 funding levels. He also pointed out that the library department is well-run and delivers a high level of service for every dollar and that neighborhood libraries are neighborhood focal points.
Councilor Williams asked about the availability of a waiver from the state should the cut be retained.
Library Director Emily Bader said that were the cut retained at this level, there would be no need for a waiver in FY 2009, and the second half of the state appropriation ($174,000.) is expected to be received in May. As for FY2010, the important thing is that any cut in the library budget would need to be proportionate to cuts in other departments. A 10.76% budget cut would amount to $330,000.. Were we to lose state funding, we would lose $78,000. which supports regional reference services at the Central Library. We would also lose the ability to apply for state or federal grants administered by the state.
In answer to a question from Councilor Williams, Library Director Bader said that a $330,000. cut would be devastating.
Seth Racine, acting city Budget Director, explained that these cuts had been proposed in response to the 9.7% cut in state aide announced by the Governor last month and the predicted cut of 28% for FY2010. In response, Mayor Sarno has asked departments to find recurring cuts and across the city, all departments are looking at what these reductions will mean. He said the numbers will change.
In response to a question from Councilor Markey, assistant library director Lee Fogarty said the annual library budget is $4.2million, and that about 2/3 of that has been spent already. Councilor Markey, rounding the library’s annual budget figure to $4.5million to make the math easier for purposes of discussion, said that approximately $1.5million is left in the 2009 library budget and that the cut proposed by the Mayor would take about one-third of that.
Councilor Williams then asked how the 10.76% figure was arrived at. Seth responded that the Mayor wants to save public safety, adding that he (the Mayor) had looked at the budget and will listen. Asked what one might do to get answers about how this figure was arrived at, Seth said there were opportunities such as this meeting and also suggested making calls and writing letters, adding that the cuts had been in the works since late last summer.
Councilor Williams said there was urgency about these cuts and that several councilors had been agitating for cut-backs for some time and that he is aware that the library department is required by the state to operate a given number of hours or lose certification.
Councilor Markey wondered about making a cut in the annual allocation to the Springfield Museums, saying that he recalled that the agreement with the SMA requiring that cuts or increases in this item be made in tandem with allocations to the library. department. Seth said that the amount for the SMA is $1.32million and that no cut in that item was figured into budget reductions.
Councilor Stebbins asked about how much money the library department received in federal grants; Lee Fogarty and Emily Bader said there were a few small grants of about $20,000. each.
Councilor Williams asked about hours at the branches; Emily Bader said branches are open 24 hours each week and the central library is open 57 hours each week. Pat Markey asked what percentage of the library budget is for personnel services. Lee Fogarty responded that in the annual budget, $2.7million is for personnel services while $1.6million is for fixed costs such as utilities. Councilor Markey asked about salary levels of library staff ($35,000. for entry level reference librarians and $20,000. to $24,000. for clerks) He concluded that dividing $1.5million by $30,000. would give one the approximate number of people to be laid off should the cut of 10.76% be retained. Emily Bader observed that almost all of the library budget consists of recurring costs.
Mary Ann Maloney, president of the Friends of the Library, asked whether a time table had been set for reductions. Seth said that some bargaining units required a 60 day notice. A library union representative present said they had a 60 day notice, and that staff also wondered about who will be affected by the plan (which staffing units, which buildings). Emily Bader said that no libraries will close, but that there would be staff and hour reductions. The union representative observed that a new staffing plan would be needed. Emily said she was not comfortable discussing specifics of a reduction plan, but both she and the union representative agreed “that staff members and the public just want to know.” Lee Fogarty said that because the budget crisis is statewide, the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners will not limit the number of waivers it will grant this year.