American Libraries |
||
Site Navigation
Left Sidebar ItemsOnline Features
Follow American Libraries news stories, videos, and blog posts on Twitter.
|
||
Passaic Director Quits, Blames City PoliticsCharging that city politics kept her from doing her job, Passaic (N.J.) Public Library Director Laurie Sansone has resigned after just 17 months in the role. “I’ve done so many positive things for our library, and I feel like the mayor and council pulled the rug out from under me,” Sansone said in the December 10 Bergen Record. “Not only with the huge cut in the budget,” she said, referring to cuts that will amount to a $185,000 shortfall in 2002, “but they have been attacking me personally at council meetings. . . . At the last meeting, I felt like the councilmen were on The Jerry Springer Show.” One cause of tension between the city council and the library stems from the fact that although the council can decide how much money the library gets, it has no say in its operations. While the city council in December reinstated $150,000 of what would have been an even larger budget cut of $335,000, council members made it clear they thought library salaries were too high. Sansone reportedly earns $60,000 annually. “I think the people running the library—the board and the director—are fiscally irresponsible, and the library could take some cuts,” said Mayor Sammy Rivera. Sansone said the budget cuts could cause the city to miss out on much-needed state grant money for books and services. Posted December 17, 2001. |
Right Sidebar
|
|
