Jersey City Ends
Controversial Contract with LSSI
The Jersey City, New Jersey, library board voted November 13 to end its controversial $1.6-million management-services contract with Library Systems and Services effective December 31.
The contract was part of an initiative by former Mayor Bret Schundler to privatize portions of the municipal government, and it became an issue in the campaign to replace Schundler, who ran unsuccessfully for governor this year. The new mayor, Glenn Cunningham, had promised to terminate the contract, which had been renewed by Schundler in June, one month before he left office, the Jersey City Reporter wrote November 18. The new library board includes several members named by Cunningham, including his wife.
The library’s privatization had been opposed by staff members, whose union filed a lawsuit that voided the original contract with LSSI. In what the Reporter characterized as another victory for staff, the board also promoted longtime employee Priscilla Gardner to head of library operations.
Note: A previous version of this story erroneously reported that Priscilla Gardner had been promoted to assistant director rather than head of library operations.
Posted November 26, 2001.
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