Library difficulties and moving forward toward a solution
Last night, April 10, 2023, the Library Board and the Library Director appeared at the Village of Mamaroneck Board of Trustees' Work Session to explain their current troubles and to ask the Village to try and help remedy the situation.
Click here to view the video of the Work Session; but let me try to summarize this complicated and unfortunate situation. The Library had one person, the Business Officer, overseeing all financial transactions and records for many years. (Not an optimal arrangement for a number of reasons.) This person has been accused of inappropriately using a position of trust to use library funds for personal purposes. This matter is now in the hands of the Westchester County District Attorney to investigate and decide on what charges to file.
While that alleged crime is reprehensible it is not the main cause of the Library’s current serious financial dilemma. It seems that the Library Board was erroneously led to believe, by the Business Officer mentioned above, that they possessed a large surplus that did not exist. During the preparation of their budget they decided to use this nonexistent surplus to offset the burden to the taxpayer. A well intentioned move that obviously didn’t work out very well.
It was explained to us last night the Library will need approximately $1.4 million over the next two fiscal years to keep operating and serving the community. I know this all raises many questions and concerns which the Library Board has assured us will be more completely explained in the near future when their forensic audit is completed.
The question now, as I see it, is what can be done to help our residents who depend upon the Library’s many important programs and functions to maintain a functioning Library. The Village government seems to be the only governmental entity that can help the Library and the many residents it serves navigate through this tempest. The Village CAN NOT give the Library the shortfall in funding that they face. We don’t have the legal authority, nor is that a prudent fiscal solution.
What the Village can do is lend our credit to the Library. The Village can approve Tax Anticipation Notes (TAN) that the Library would then have to repay to the Village out of future Library tax revenues. The Library itself has no statutory authority to borrow money so the Village would need to be the conduit for this solution. This will keep the Library open and running until they create a structure that will put their fiscal house in order and ensure that this will never happen again. They will have to come up with a plan that shows the community how the needed changes will be implemented in the future. Right now the Library needs funding to keep the doors open past June 1 so actions need to be taken in an expeditious manner.
I have asked the Library Board to send a formal request to the Village Board asking for assistance as soon as possible so we can begin the process of considering the TAN on our end. I wish this were better news but working together, as a community, we will face this challenge and we have so many others in the near past. We will look out for one another and do what is best for our residents.
The Library is an essential institution that serves us all but in particular it serves the needs of so many of our residents who are financially struggling. So many have a thirst for knowledge, which in today’s society, is essential to having any chance for success or advancement. If for no other reason then those who strive to make a better life we need to keep this 100 year old institution vibrant, viable and accessible.
Respectfully,
Tom Murphy
Mayor, Village of Mamaroneck
He/His/Him