The Lake Worth Library was officially dedicated in 1941 and opened with 10,000 donated books. The building is approximately 60' x 70' and was designed to complement our City Hall (now the Lake Worth Annex) . Through the course of these years, there is no estimation of how many people have visited our library but one thing for sure, we all have a soft spot for our building and all its history.
On Monday, the City Manager, once again, will bring up the library as a way of finding funds in order to eliminate the special fire money grab assessment. The City staff has always threatened closing our library--if we want this then you can't have the library argument. Scott Maxwell at one time even implied that we go with the County, an idea to which the head honcho probably agrees...just one less expense to worry about.
One member of the Library Board says, "I believe the use of reserve funds in the manner proposed by the city manager at the request of Mayor Triolo constitutes a notice that the library will be closing.
It may take two years or three, but you cannot run a city department on reserve funds and expect new revenues to appear a few years down the road out of nowhere to fix things when those funds are gone.
Mayor Triolo, Commissioner Maxwell, and Commissioner Amoroso seem to be considering whether to close the library down in 3 years or less."
Please note, former Mayor Waterman suggested using the rest of our reserve funds to reduce the fire assessment, not get rid of it. That was a bad idea and she got defeated as a direct result of approving the Budget and raising taxes.
You get one commission out and the next one is always worse.
ReplyDeleteLet's look at what's happening here. First, our tax base was destroyed when folks started moving out and home values fell to levels unheard of in other cities. With no tax base we cannot afford our own library. Second. business is staying away because we charge the highest utility rates and we are not a business friendly city. The Cara controlled commission did exactly what they knew would destroy the core of this city. Gentrification was their motto. Now it's up to this new commission to figure out how to restore the tax base so that we can afford a library. This is sad.
ReplyDeletefalse anon 12:55, we are business friendly city and we are moving a growing finally in area's that will make it even more so. We did not fall this far from grace overnight and it will take even longer to rebuild.
ReplyDeleteWE ARE REBUILDING our city and reputation and we are looking forward but be it slowly and respectfully to the tax payers and the businesses so that we can do it successfully. To just open the flood gates would set people up to fail.
Smart planning, upgrading of infrastructure as mentioned in the other blog post and good decision by a new very business friendly commission will ensure LONG TERM Success not "pour in and stir" success that will not make it through the long haul.
As for the Library! JUST AS we are going through the financials to reverse the fire assessments I know that we can find a way to keep the Library open. (If not then lets chain ourselves to the building! Oh no I did not just say that)
Stanton was told to find funds to eliminate the fire assessment. The Commission did not tell her to close the library. If that information is now appearing in backup for Monday's meeting, then the CM is trying to rile up the public against the new Commission.
ReplyDeleteDid ANYONE say that Stanton was going to close the library? What this person said that it was, in HIS OPINION, because of the proposal in the backup, that WAS THE PLAN by Triolo and friends.
ReplyDeleteI did not propose using ALL of our reserves. I proposed using one of our reserve funds, approximately $400,000, of which over 200,00 would be replenished with a high payment rate of the fire assessment.
ReplyDeleteI also proposed delaying hiring of two of four open positions in the sustainability department.
This would have reduced the fire assessment need by over half a million dollars without any impact on city services.
I suggest you look at how much money was budgeted for staff positions not filled by October 1st. The unused staff allocations for Oct 1 - Nov 30th alone could be substantial. Re-appropriating these funds eliminates the need to put things on the chopping block.
I say we close the library and open a city zoo. We can display all the nuts who live here and charge a nice sum for it. In no time we will see a reduction in the city's budget.
ReplyDeleteSure, as long as you are the first one in the cage so that we can throw you a peanut from the peanut gallery.
ReplyDelete