QUOTE(tallon @ Jul 12 2006, 10:39 PM)
If anyone feels that they would like me to forward the email to them I would be happy. It is exactly what you read, but just in case anyone feels they need a copy of their own. I also propose to Daveman that he contact who sent an email to Kerri Howell and suggest they do the same, or at least post the email so the rest of us may read it. Just message me your email (I wont spam, and I will send it on to you).
I spoke with my friend who sent the letter and they sent me a copy. I have edited phone numbers and some other information due to confidentiality reasons, but the majority of the text is still intact. It is rather interesting. (Read from the bottom up).
Ms. Howell:
I understand your position and that you cannot get
involved a great deal. One of the main concerns is
simply the ability of the management. One of the
letters even mentions that Diane Knight needs
management classes to be an effective leader, this is
a trait that should already exist, she is not a
manager in training. Evert Palmer lacks a Library
Science Degree and "listens to staff to guide his
decisions" which means he truly is not fit to be that
in charge of the library. The September 8th 2003
Library Commission meeting introduced him as being in
charge of the administrative functions and Diane
Knight as the operations manager. If that is the case
then should she not run these weekly meetings instead
of the Administrator whom needs to listen to his
employees for direction, yet only takes what he likes
an fill in the rest.
These weekly meetings have become a farce. Evert
Palmer will not recognize that management does not
communicate. In an email to employees Evert Palmer
informed employees that they must respond to his
emails, when the staff pointed out that this is
ridiculous to respond to all emails, many staff
members received varying responses. Some received a
response that only the emails that require a response
should be responded to, while others were told that
the future would tell which ones they needed to
respond to and that they must comply with this
directive. It was then decided in the meeting that
only emails with a need for a response be responded to
(which after all is how email works). This is just an
example of the runaround that employees feel that they
are getting from Evert Palmer.
Many have pondered why the Library is under the
Administrative Service Department instead of being its
own department. When looking into the budget though,
all departments under Administrative Services are also
under its budget, the Library is separate. This would
make one assume that the Library is indeed a separate
entity that needs to be under its own departments.
(There is also only one other indication that the
library is under Evert Palmer, the link off to the
left side of Administrative Services web page).
Furthermore, Administrative Services function to
support the inner workings of the cities departments,
however, the Library more resembles Parks and
Recreation. If one were to look at the mission
statements of the two departments one rings true with
the library.
The employees find it hard to watch Diane Knight
follow the lead of Evert Palmer whom has little
experience with libraries (he has admitted that he has
no schooling in Library Science). Evert Palmer who
states that he was the liaison from the library to the
city starting in around 1999 when I believe Mr. Price
was the Library Director at the time. At this time
also, Evert Palmer was, as far as I know, not the
Director of Administrative services. From my
understanding he worked in the IT department and was
the IT person that helped the library. If my
information is correct it was not until 2003 that
Evert Palmer actually was involved in the Library,
which was due to Mr. Price resigning. The staff also
does not understand why the City never went forth and
tried to hire a Library Director but put the library
under the Administrative Services Department.
I am staying anonymous so as to protect myself (yes,
__________ is a made up name, but only to protect
myself). I hope that this is alright with you. I
chose to speak with you as after seeing you on the
council I see that you are one of the more
opened-minded council members, and having no one to
turn to I needed someone that may be able to provide
advice.
--- "Kerri M. Howell"
wrote:
> Dear __________,
>
> I understand that the Library Staff is not happy.
> Are there any specific
> complaints that have been forwarded to Evert that
> have not been acted upon?
> Have any of the Staff attempted to speak with the
> City Manager? I would be
> happy to talk to you on the phone, if you like, you
> can call me at home
> _________ in the evening or on my cell phone
> ________. However, it is
> important to keep in mind that the City Council has
> responsibility for the
> City Manager, and she has responsibility for all the
> remaining City Staff,
> though I would be happy to give you some feedback, I
> will be cautious not to
> step over the line for what is and is not
> appropriate for Council Members to
> get involved with.
>
> Kerri Howell
> >
>
> > Ms. Howell,
> >
> > Are you or any of the others on the City council
> aware
> > that there is major problems going on with the
> > management of the Folsom Public Library? Evert
> Palmer
> > was given 13 letters from 13 staff members that
> > detailed problems that they had with the current
> > management. The major issues were managements
> lack of
> > communication, managements lack of education
> (Evert
> > Palmer who is mostly overseeing the library while
> the
> > Library Manager, Diane Knight sits to the
> sidelines,
> > has no Library Science degree yet pretends he
> > understands libraries). Meetings are now held
> once a
> > week yet staff is becoming more frustrated. Evert
> > Palmer continues to say that the issues are
> "normal"
> > yet from the staff point of view they are not.
> >
> > Thank you
That email was dated January 3rd 2006.
