News Release

07/19/2006
PPL Board Moves to Accept Budget to Enable Current Level of Service for FY 2007

In a show of willingness to work with the City of Providence on securing the future of its municipal library services, the Providence Public Library Board of Trustees this evening voted to adopt the FY 2007 budget proposed by the Library Finance committee, incorporating the recommendations made by the Mayor’s special advisor Neil Steinberg. The budget would allow Library services at all Branches throughout the city to continue for a year, while a long term solution is crafted to allow the City to create a sustainable neighborhood Library system. Several Library Trustees expressed great concern that the measures recommended by the Mayor’s advisor represent only a very short-term solution to the recurring municipal funding issues and are measures that cannot be done continually.

To close the more than $800,000 budget gap in the year that began July 1, Mr. Steinberg recommended carrying over a FY06 budget surplus of $140,000- generated by holding open several staff positions, reducing the annual Library pension contribution by $240,000, and reducing capital repair expenditures by $140,000. In addition, Mr. Steinberg’s recommendations require both the City and the Library to commit up to $250,000 each in additional funds in order to make up the deficit.

The Board approved a separate resolution to request an additional $250,000 from the PPL Foundation, something that will require action by the Foundation.

“Clearly by its action tonight, this Board is showing that it wants to work with the City of Providence to resolve the recurring fiscal issues that have affected provision of municipal library services,” said Mary B. Olenn, Board Chair. “We want to keep important library services going for the residents of Providence while we work together on solutions for the future.”

The resolution requests the extraordinary contribution from the PPL Foundation in order to provide a meaningful amount of time to make a transition toward the provision of municipal library services through the new entity that will embody the public-private partnership responsible in the future for municipal library services.

Last week, PPL trustees voted to create a new Municipal Library Board to give Providence more flexibility in considering options for allocating and funding its municipal library system. The new board, which would consist of appointees of elected officials and community representatives, would be responsible for decisions regarding neighborhood library service and the spending of the City’s $3 million annual library budget. The formation of the new Municipal Library Board will also serve to provide structure and clarity.

The move is especially timely since the Strategic Planning Team and the Steinberg Report have expressed concern over the strained relationship between the City and the existing Library leadership. The new board and the Municipal Library Working Group represents fresh leadership. The creation of the separate non-profit, its members appointed by City elected officials, will provide a direct pipeline between taxpayers and those responsible for spending taxpayer money.

“Per Mr. Steinberg’s recommendations and the intent of the PPL board, the new Municipal Library Board will have representatives from the City administration, City Council and community. Because of the concern about communication between the City and the current Library Leadership, the new Municipal Library Board will not include either myself or current Library Director Dale Thompson. We have already had interest from community members who are volunteering to Chair and/or serve on the Board,” said Mary B. Olenn, Library Board Chair.