Library Improvements Off to 'Worrying Start'
Councilman concerned about the transparency and efficiency in which the city is handling library update.
Library Improvements Off to 'Worrying Start'
Highland Park City Councilman David Naftzger.
Jacob Nelson
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Summer is upon us, and work continues on the many challenges facing the City of Highland Park. My priorities as Councilman remain to improve core city services, minimize taxpayer costs and protect our environment. In different ways, I have focused on these themes in recent months.
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Library Improvements Start Without Needed Taxpayer Protections
The City recently started some exciting multi-year, multi-million dollar improvements to the Public Library. The result will be a more modern, user-friendly facility, and I fully support these improvements. But with any City project, especially of this size, it is critical that we protect taxpayers by minimizing costs and maximizing transparency and accountability. In this regard, we are off to a worrying start.
I supported the City Council's use of over $1 million in reserve funds for this year's library improvements. However, my support depended on two Council commitments. First, we committed to analyze back office operations between the City and Library. This analysis is the first step in consolidating duplicative services like accounting, human resources and IT. Annual efficiency improvements of tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars are possible and even likely. This could significantly reduce, or in some instances eliminate, the demand on overstretched taxpayer funds.
Second, the Council commited that the City would directly oversee and pay for these improvements rather than paying the Library to then pay vendors. After all, these improvements are being paid for by City funds to a building the City owns and are pursuant to a Library budget that the City Council approved. The City should be accountable and expenditures should be made transparently and efficiently.
The City Council, against my opposition, recently departed from these commitments and voted to disburse thousands of dollars to the Library, in advance of the agreed-upon efficiency analysis. This is a worrying step, and I will continue to oppose future payments unless taxpayer protections are respected.
Trout Released in Restored Ravine
Completing an exicting transformation, Highland Park students recently released rainbow trout that they had raised at school into a restored ravine next to Lake Michigan. Illinois DNR Director Marc Miller was on hand to celebrate this exciting educational and environmental effort. My hope is that we will be celebrating other similar restoration efforts in coming months and years!
Responsibly Dispose of Unwanted Prescription Drugs
Please help keep unwanted or outdated prescription drugs away from those whom they were not prescribed to, and out of our natural environment. Turn them in, no questions asked, either at the Police Department (1677 Old Deerfield Road) anytime, or at the North Shore Health Center (1840 Green Bay Road) during business hours.
David Naftzger
Highland Park City Councilman
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Redhead
7:30 am on Friday, June 8, 2012
This is not the first time the library board has been at odds with the council. The library has been functioning independently for years and doing a fine job of it. Its board over the years has been staffed by extraordinarily competent people who have had to fight tooth and nail to maintain and upgrade this important community facility. I believe that the upgrade in question right now concerns the adult reading facilities which have not been renovated since the 70's. Look at the libraries in surrounding suburbs and see how they pour money into their facilities. Too bad we didn't take the money for the theater and invest it in the library. Sorry, but I am confident that those who run the library can handle and disperse the money given to them more efficiently than the city. Instead of conflicting with the library, why isn't the city supporting them with even more funds? We seem to have money for everything else. AARGH - Laurie Weiss
Concerned
11:14 am on Friday, June 8, 2012
Please look at all of the facts:
There was no agreement that the city would oversee and pay for improvements to the library directly. A meeting earlier this year between representatives of the library and representatives of the city settled upon the current method of payment - that the library would pay bills for the renovation out of pocket, and the city would reimburse them. As for transparency, each bill is reviewed by library staff and the library board's treasurer, and voted on at a public meeting by the full board of the library before it is paid. The public is always welcome to attend the monthly public meetings where the bill list is reviewed and discussed.
There should be no argument between the Library Board and City Council, two independent bodies working for the improvement of all services for the citizens of Highland Park in the most fiscally prudent manner possible. Let's keep it that way, and not throw red herrings in the path of progress.
Ann Rosenblum
Redhead
11:47 am on Friday, June 8, 2012
Thanks Ann...I knew there had to be another side to this story!
Bryce Robertson
11:59 am on Friday, June 8, 2012
All I would say is this - don't have the city take on ANY more tasks. It is too understaffed and overbooked. Take a look at what happened with Late Nite HP. Haven't heard much about it lately? Haven't seen much about it lately? The city took it over a few months ago, promising to market it more effectively, give money to build a flashy new website to promote the local businesses, bands, and events, and to streamline the permit process for the Fourth of July proceedings. Since then, businesses haven't heard about any acts being booked, bands and performers are questioning what happened to the once-daily entertainment, and the community cannot find information due to an extremely cumbersome website. The people handling it have too much on their plate already, and need additional staff if anything is going to be handled effectively at that office! Assistants are doing the jobs of three, sometimes more.
David Greenberg
4:45 pm on Saturday, June 9, 2012
Late Nite HP - another nice to have that should take a back seat when other 'gotta have' issues come up. If I recall correctly, we were paying to book the bands - which seemed kind of strange to me. I often publicly wondered if we were making back our money, but never saw any numbers to prove it.
The noise from the Late Night events also carried for miles on occasion when the bands cranked up the volume. We could hear it all the way down by Park Avenue West and Wolter's Field...
Bryce Robertson
5:14 pm on Saturday, June 9, 2012
Nope. David, you're confusing this with the summer concert series. True LNHP events are hosted by businesses (save the Fourth of July/Battle festivities). Whether or not the business pays to book entertainment, the city doesn't spend a dime. The only costs the city ever put out were for maintenance of the website and to pay for the fireworks, 4th of July Battle setup, etc... Minimal costs at best. Also, from our backyard, we can hear both HP and Highwood concerts, and they never go past 10. Not much of a nuisance at all. Actually, it's nice to see that we have communities that help put things like that on.
Just to clarify, LNHP was started to host safe events for high school students. Some things that are promoted under the LNHP umbrella are for adults, and some for even younger children. It became a great way to market for the businesses, market our downtown (notice the Late Nite banners all over the place when you drive into HP from Deerfield) and keep students safe. If you really want to look at ROI, figure out the sales tax from the visitors, the repeat business from the bands, the savings in the police force not having to patrol parties... And right now, the city is paying $0 for Late Nite. All costs are being covered via volunteers and private funding. However, the way the city took it over does not make it easy for said volunteers to keep doing what they were doing, and unfortunately, we've lost much ground because of it. If it ain't broke, don't fix it.
Ken Robertson
6:11 pm on Saturday, June 9, 2012
Geez, David...if you lived in my neighborhood, I think you would complain about the noise the lake makes when it's windy...
David Greenberg
2:55 am on Monday, June 11, 2012
Sorry Ken, I wouldn't be complaining about the lake wind noise. I will complain about hearing a band in my backyard when it's over a mile away because that's simply ridiculous. If I want to hear it, I'll go to the event. Otherwise, I'd prefer to sit in my backyard and enjoy the peace and quiet, or perhaps even leave the windows open and enjoy a nice evening breeze...
David Greenberg
3:04 am on Monday, June 11, 2012
Bryce - thanks for the insight. As for "safe events" for high school students - that's not the City's job, it's the job of the parents. The whole Wolter's Field lighted events was brought up as a way to have "safe events" for students, but we've seen instances where criminals have been chased by the Police through nearby yards (caught by the Police too - kudos HP Cops); roving bands of screaming and yelling students who leave trash behind - whether the Giants win or lose; and the need to install super bright street lights adjacent to the intersection of Beverly Place and Park Avenue West because "stuff was going on".
Now we see in the recent D113 Board packet that more cameras are wanted for "high incident areas" which include the Wolter's Field locker rooms, and the Transportation bldg parking lots (not that cameras are worth it - they push crime outside the view of the camera...). Looks like all these events have done is to create more issues...
And let's not forget the HP Football Player who essentially threatened me at a City Council meeting over the Wolter's Field lights when he said "Oh, you don't want to know what's going to happen if we get bored on a Saturday night...".
So I'm not really buying into the whole "safe events for students" claim. I will buy into the claim that it's all about increasing sales tax revenues. So long as it funds itself, fine. But no one who isn't uptown should have to hear it or deal with it.
Ken Robertson
12:23 pm on Friday, June 8, 2012
While I appreciate councilman Nafzger's commitment to "protect the taxpayer", I don't see how creating another layer of approval helps. The library board, as others are saying, has been very prudent with the limited funds they have had to fight for. I can personally attest to an appreciation for just how much is getting done at our library that is above and beyond what the funding level is. The actual project should include the HPPL youth department also, which draws patrons from surrounding suburbs and puts on excellent programs for the community, but there was no way the city would provide the funding to truly meet those needs.
By micro-managing the library's project, and attaching conditions to every payment, I feel councilman Nafzger is expressing a mistrust for a board that has earned the respect to properly handle the process as they have in the past. Deal with the duplicative services as an issue, but do not use that as a reason to put roadblocks in the way of this much-needed, long overdue, and already greatly downsized project.
David Greenberg
4:52 pm on Saturday, June 9, 2012
The library is certainly nice, but I have to wonder what role it should play in an era where the Internet is essentially omnipresent. I also look at my tax bill and find that the library is about 50% of the amount taxed by the City, and they still don't have enough money for their infrastructure needs?
I've said it before, and I'll say it again - whenever we build a structure, it's incumbent upon us to know what the total cost of ownership is - for the expected life of the structure. So beyond just the initial costs of building, we need to know what the costs to maintain and operate that structure will be. Then we need to determine where that money is going to come from each year.
The infrastructure needs to come before the addition of any new programs, offerings, acquisitions, or staff. If the library hasn't set aside funds for it's infrastructure needs, then look at what can be cut before taking money from City Reserves.
And if anyone recalls, the whole reason the City decided to give the Library money out of City Reserves is because the Library Trustees were threatening to increase the tax levy rate...
I agree with Councilman Nafzger - we need to look for efficiencies in all aspects of the City's operations. The library trustees are a reasonable bunch - as are the Councilmembers - regardless of who's toes got stepped on by who's horse - let's move on and figure out the most COST EFFECTIVE method to move forward and fund future infrastructure needs.
Bryce Robertson
5:24 pm on Saturday, June 9, 2012
Of course they were suggesting increasing the levy. The library gets a tiny bit more in tax dollars per year ($25 on the average house) than the sanitary district does. Basically, the books are valued the same as our trash. Most HP residents pay more for their waterpark, gym, or country club memberships. Find me somewhere else where you could get a full-service library at $175/year/family? Nowhere.
Also, if you ask any teacher in our district who is worth their salt (of which 95% are), they will tell you that with any research project, they require of their students that between 25-50% of their sources be print - periodicals or books. Emory University (where I'll be in the fall) stocks a seven volume-floor library because all of their professors require print research. And no kid (or most adults, by your logic - since they all should be concerned about their tax bills, they definitely shouldn't spend unnecessarily) has a Kindle on which to read. The library is a necessity in any community. Ours sets the precedent for almost every other community in the area - with their programs and staff. But things are starting to dwindle because of the lack of materials and space to acquire new materials. The City does not equal the Library. It is a comparison that can't be made, and nobody should try to merge the two. As we've seen in other communities, it can't be done.
Ken Robertson
6:10 pm on Saturday, June 9, 2012
David, sorry but you're getting the full Robertson treatment today ;-)
1) Compared to our neighbors (Glencoe-$226, Deerfield-$170, Northbrook-$169, Lake Forest-$177), HP's library has the lowest $/resident operating budget-$129. That is about 24% lower than the lowest
2) While I found the above on the internet, in 2011 there were over 700,000 items circulated at our library, which is a 35% increase over 2000-2001, so I would say the age of the internet has apparently increased library usage
3) Here's a paradox - in recession years, when everyone wants to cut services and taxes, library usage and DEMAND INCREASED. 2009 was actually a recent high-water mark, and demand has not dropped significantly since then.
4) The HP library budget is the same this year as last year. About 75% is salaries, and that amount is actually reduced for 2012.
There is a great document on the library's website that details costs for 20 YEARS, so I guess they actually do look at TCO...Do yo know why the money came from the reserves? Because nobody thought a capital referendum would pass in this environment. WE ARE GETTING A TREMENDOUS DEAL ON A QUALITY LIBRARY. I expect circulation will increase, since Deerfield residents passed a referendum and their library building is closed for a year.
The library board and staff does a great job of wringing great programs out of tight budgets - it's time to say "thank you" instead of acting as if they are ripping us off.
David Greenberg
3:15 am on Monday, June 11, 2012
Bryce: Congrats on attending Emory U. However, when the tuition is $55K+/yr, a 7-story library is perhaps easier to fund. http://www.emory.edu/studentfinancials/Cost_of_Attendance.htm
As for the teachers requiring 25-50% of the items to be in print - that's fine. There's nothing that says that those items have to come from the community library. They could certainly come from the school libraries, or from one's private collection.
Ken: Do you happen to have the breakdown of the 700K items circulated? How many of those were DVD's or audio CD's? It seems that many people visit the library to borrow those items. How much money does the library spend on those items?
Regarding 75% of the money being spent on salaries. It seems high. That leaves 25% to set aside for acquisitions, ongoing maintenance, and set-asides for future needs.
I don't agree that there's a paradox that there's more demand in these recessionary times. It's easy to understand. The library offers FREE services. People are cutting back on items they pay for due to the economy (either voluntarily or not), and the library is giving them what they want for free. Internet access. DVD/Audio-CD's to "borrow" (instead of renting or getting on cable). Book borrowing (instead of buying a copy or downloading one on a kindle). Nothing wrong with any of these actions to be sure, but to say demand is up so we need to fund more is disingenuous and ignores the economic drivers.
Ken Robertson
9:45 am on Monday, June 11, 2012
David - I could spend all my time doing the research for you, or you could take some time on your own to find it easily on the library's website. All of the data I provided is easily accessible because it comes from public entities. I'll say this - try checking out a hot new book on the day it's released; you'll probably find that the waiting list is weeks long, no matter how many copies the library gets. And, FYI, there are plenty of residents who use the library for reasons other than "it's free" (of course, it really isn't free, or else we wouldn't be having this discussion).
As usual, you miss my point. I showed quite clearly that HP has a great deal to be thankful for in how our library has been operated. Many people show their thanks by volunteering - some from middle school through adulthood. Recently, the library brought on a "Volunteer Coordinator" ( a volunteer herself) to better manage opportunities to serve the library. This helps free up staff time, and keep staff at the same level, rather than increasing costs. Of course, volunteers can only do so much, so a professional staff is essential. There are many more examples of how we get a great deal for our investment (which, as I pointed out, is less per resident than all of our other neighbors).
David - you and I have very different visions of what a "community" should be like.
David Greenberg
4:37 pm on Monday, June 11, 2012
Ken, I'm not trying to push off the research on you at all. You mentioned a 700K circulation figure, and I had the thought that perhaps you might know the breakdown off-hand.
Of course it's technically not "free" if you live in our community and you're a taxpayer. For others, it's essentially free, and people from other communities have reciprocal borrowing, so excepting the cost of transportation - it's free for them.
I'm not saying we shouldn't have a library. I'm saying we need to determine what form it should take. Should it expand forever in size and acquisitions, or should it be limited? I also want to see maintenance and repairs properly set-aside for so we don't have to keep engaging in tax increases or "borrow from reserves" bail-outs to fix something that was entirely predictable, but not saved for. If it means that we have less services or acquisitions because we have to save money for maintenance and repairs - I'm OK with that.
Libraries came about because books were expensive and we wanted to share knowledge among the community. Over time the role expanded to video and audio recordings - although those were primarily documentaries and classical music.
Today - we've added movies. I often hear people in the library asking for them to order this or that movie, and the library says "Sure. We can do that.". Why should the taxpayers pay for that? When we obviously need money for maintenance on the building?
Ken Robertson
6:52 pm on Monday, June 11, 2012
I guess I expected that you would do some research on your own, David, before making your conclusions. Here's where we part ways:
1) Nobody is claiming the library should expand forever in size and acquisitions. As I've pointed out multiple times now, the library is managed well, including the weeding/management of collections. Again, HP funds their library way below our neighbors. This is my main point - you say that you are okay with "less services or acquisitions" to fund maintenance and repairs, but you completely ignore that is what is occurring every single year! I'm sure there are more programs or acquistions that could be offered, but they are not. At what point do you stop cutting, cutting, cutting? At 25-50% less per resident than our neighbors, you still insist that there's more blood to wring from this stone. It's time to look elsewhere to reduce your tax bill.
2) The use of reserves is not a "bailout", but a fair use of existing monies to make necessary capital improvements without raising taxes. The current project was way downsized to reflect the economic reality, and a referendum was not something the city (or library board) wanted to take on right now. Kudos to them for making it work.
3) I think you are misinterpreting what you hear in the A/V department - it's most likely that the ordering is for inter-library loans. Items are not just added to collections willy-nilly based on one person's request.