80 replies to this topic

[ducky]

Thanks for your responses Mr. Giacometti and Gwyneth. I was beginning to think the cost of construction was a secret. I won't go into the whole library location argument because what's done is done. I am sure many people have worked hard to realize their dream of a new library and they deserve their moment in the sun. My question was just out of sheer morbid curiosity to see if my prediction of the final cost was on or off. Looks like it's surpassed even my guesstimate.

I think it's great they have put aside $1 million for collections. I have always thought what is inside the library is more important than the outside. I do understand what Gwyneth means about the brick rotunday thing-y though. Something looks off, but I can't quite put my finger on it.

[mylo]

As for salaries for the management, the current manager is budgeted at more than $85,000 and the supervisor position at over $60,000. That does not of course include benefits, which are very expensive. The combined $145,000 would be more than enough to hire a good director for a competitive salary, with balance left for staff that are desperately needed to eliminate backlogs and keep up with service demands that are certain to increase in the new library.

Holy cow, now it's up to $145k!

So, I'm still confused. There's are two positions currently budgetted. The manager ($85k) and supervisor ($60k). The petition was to dissolve these two positions and create a Director position (<$145k) ??

I'm hesistent to agree with your assumption that paying additional staff would reduce backlogs. Especially if you're losing one of the management positions that should be improving that efficiency.

[Gwyneth]

There is more information about the library situation in today's Folsom Life. A very positive article, with pictures, extolling all the wonderful things about the new building. And while indeed there are many wonderful things about the new library, and the administration can point to rise in service stats (to be expected with pop growth in Folsom), that does not fix the underlying problems or negate concerns of staff and library commissioners. The problems and concerns are described in some detail in the article following the one on the new facility.

It should be noted that Mr. Maloney is far more careful with his facts and with presenting both sides of the issue than the reporter who wrote both front page articles for the Telegraph the last two Wednesdays.

[mylo]

Guess I'll have to pick up a copy to understand it, I'm still tragically confused and Folsom Life doesn't post many of their articles online.

In other news, the telegraph article is finally posted:
http://www.folsomtel...s/04library.txt

This paragraph explains more for me:

While the preliminary budget provides for two librarians, an assistant, a library supervisor and technician, chief financial officer Nav Gill told council members the commission voted in favor of eliminating the library supervisor position and instead creating a library director position.

This article speaks nothing of a library "manager" position, the one Gwyneth said is budgetted at $85k. So, the elimination of the $60k "supervisor" in favor of a $(unknown)k director seems to be the purpose of the petition to me, but I have yet to read either the petition or the Folsom Life article, and nobody on here has yet to post clarification.

[daveman]

Guess I'll have to pick up a copy to understand it, I'm still tragically confused and Folsom Life doesn't post many of their articles online.

In other news, the telegraph article is finally posted:
http://www.folsomtel...s/04library.txt

This paragraph explains more for me:

While the preliminary budget provides for two librarians, an assistant, a library supervisor and technician, chief financial officer Nav Gill told council members the commission voted in favor of eliminating the library supervisor position and instead creating a library director position.

This article speaks nothing of a library "manager" position, the one Gwyneth said is budgetted at $85k. So, the elimination of the $60k "supervisor" in favor of a $(unknown)k director seems to be the purpose of the petition to me, but I have yet to read either the petition or the Folsom Life article, and nobody on here has yet to post clarification.

I will attempt to make a clarification. Currently there is a Library Manager that makes over $80000 this person is working in the Library. The director of Administrative Services oversees this manager, technically this would be the equivalent of a Library Director. The budget purposes a $60000 Library Supervisor. An option to eliminate the current manager and not add the supervisor position would be what would fund a Library Director to oversee the library and eliminate the Director of Administrative Services as the one overseeing the library. A library director could easily be found for less then those two positions, making more money available for other staffing issues to be addressed. From my understanding the staff see the Library supervisor as one more position that will create a top heavy structure for the library and not adequately handle the increased building size an workload.

To also note, the two librarian positions are only an increase of two part time positions, this would bring the total to four librarians.

may that be of some help.

__Daveman the insane caveman__

[childofoprah]

The library seems to be a hot topic lately... what do you guys think about the two articles published in Folsom Life yesterday (pages 28-30)?

[Gwyneth]

Thanks Childof,

There's some good discussion going on in the poll you started in Folsom General Forum too. I think anything that makes the library a topic of conversation and inspires the community to take an interest in its affairs is a good thing, no matter which side you take on the particular issue being discussed.

[tallon]

It is interesting to see that there are so many topics on this forum that relate to management in the City of folsom not being competent. For staff members to come out and speak on the topic in my mind rings that maybe the city is ready for some structure changes. May the city be blessed with a new city manager that will turn the city and its management around. I praise the library staff for speaking out and letting the public know. I just wish that other departments felt that courage. I also wish that we as citizens continue to take a strong stance on issues that directly effect us. If management or officials of the city fail us, we need to speak out. I hope all works out for the staff and that the city learns a great lesson from this incidence.

[childofoprah]

Does anyone know anything about the upcoming library comission meeting? Usually they're held on the first Monday of the month, but because that is the Fourth of July weekend I'm not sure if it's been changed.

[bibliophile]

Does anyone know anything about the upcoming library comission meeting? Usually they're held on the first Monday of the month, but because that is the Fourth of July weekend I'm not sure if it's been changed.

The meeting is still listed on the City Web page as July 3. I know there are commissioners and members of the public who want to attend but who cannot because of the holiday weekend. Seems reasonable that the meeting could be rescheduled to the following week, on Monday July 10. Who would we ask about that?

[Paige]

Any more news on the library petition? I hear the staff is really upset with the management - or lack thereof I should say. From all I've read and heard from friends in the library, the people that are supposed to be in charge, i.e. the management, are really failing at their positions. Could it be that they are inexperienced, have too much on their plates, or both?

[Snowball]

Any more news on the library petition? I hear the staff is really upset with the management - or lack thereof I should say. From all I've read and heard from friends in the library, the people that are supposed to be in charge, i.e. the management, are really failing at their positions. Could it be that they are inexperienced, have too much on their plates, or both?

Methinks the former. The former leads to the latter. They never shouldve been put in those positions in the first place. That might reflect badly on the city and cause management to be defensive and rally round these ppl, sacrificing service to the public, to save face?

So lets forget all that and move forward. The new library needs a director with experience, leave it at that. No blame, just put a director in place like shouldve been done in the first place and figure this was all a temporary transition. We should be celebrating the new library, if ppl woul djust stop placing blame and put public interest first above all.

We live here. City admin should serve the public well. Where do they get off building empires that threaten the quality of services to the public and crush staff initiative?

[Paige]

Methinks the former. The former leads to the latter. They never shouldve been put in those positions in the first place. That might reflect badly on the city and cause management to be defensive and rally round these ppl, sacrificing service to the public, to save face?

So lets forget all that and move forward. The new library needs a director with experience, leave it at that. No blame, just put a director in place like shouldve been done in the first place and figure this was all a temporary transition. We should be celebrating the new library, if ppl woul djust stop placing blame and put public interest first above all.

We live here. City admin should serve the public well. Where do they get off building empires that threaten the quality of services to the public and crush staff initiative?

I agree they never should have been put in those positions.

[Gwyneth]

It is really a shame that the main issues here have gotten lost in a commotion of people pointing fingers, defending the administration, blaming the staff, and denying that there are any problems.

It is not bad to admit there are problems. That is the first step in moving forward to affect positive change and to identify solutions. Neither is there any shame in being unqualified to do a particular job. It is the responsibility of City management to make wise decisions about which personnel to put in which positions. Many people in City management ranks who were around when the decision was made not to replace the Library Director are no longer here.

Why don't we all agree to stop slinging mud and get down to solutions? I would guess that is what the staff was trying to do in the first place.

[Paige]

I'm sorry if what I said came across as pointing fingers or mud slinging, but I simply asked a question that has been bugging me ever since I heard of the library problem. I think it is very fair to wonder if the people in charge know what they are doing. That is the foundation. To know what you are doing in the position you have been placed. If you don't have that foundation of knowledge then you begin to have problems. I'm not saying that I want someone to take the blame, it would just be nice to know if the persons in management knew what they were doing. I never expect to find out if they are all well qualified or if they do have too much on their plates, but I do enjoy the fact that I can put out a question in hopes of one day finding the answer.

I do wholeheartedly agree that there should be no mud slinging or pointing fingers, and again I am truly sorry if that was the way my question was taken.