The state is stepping into the library’s financial fray.
According to a letter from the Maryland Department of Education, the governing entity that oversees all libraries, the state will conduct quarterly audits of the library’s 2009 corrective plan; monitor the library’s financial process until it is no longer operating with a deficit; and send a representative to conduct on-site checks and training with the Board of Trustees. The news came as a response to a letter written by the county commissioners requesting an emergency audit. The commissioners have no legal power over the library board or its director.
The county’s Chief Financial Officer Pat Merritt said, “Hopefully that will help us find the ‘missing’ $26,000 in original grant funds.”
The $26,000 was part of a capital improvement grant for the library renovation, a project the county funded initially with the understanding the county funds would be reimbursed by the library when the grant money came in. However, the state cut the grant amount last fall and notified the library, who failed to notify the county.
The library has also turned over credit card statements and Board meeting minutes in an attempt to explain the $100,000 deficit it is currently operating with.
County Administrator Susie Hayman said the commissioners requested any documents that supported the Board’s approval to go over past budgets. Reading from a memo she said, “The response we got from Library Director Jerry Keiser was: ‘The library does not have any internal documents authorizing expenditures in excess of budgeted amounts, because procedures did not require any.’”
In response Commissioner William Pickrum said, “Unfortunately, I think officials that have oversight of our library in the state missed this one. Whether they were asleep at the switch I don’t know.”
Hayman and Merritt have not had a chance to go over all the credit card statements, but already some things are “jumping out,” Hayman said. In particular is a $4,000 charge in Key West, Fla. during a library/writers’ convention.
“There are four different charges for more than $900 each … the Key West Hotel bill is more than $4,000,” Hayman said.
Merritt said that one of the line items that were over-spent in the 2009 budget was travel and once she and Hayman have the time to look at everything “we’ll have a better idea of how the money was spent.”
Audience members questioned how the Board of Trustees could let the library get into such financial straights and why the director had not resigned.
“We’re talking about volunteers here … I do think some things were kept from them (the Board),” Commissioner Ron Fithian said. “There’s a way for them to fix this. They’ll have to make some tough decisions, but they can fix this. They have told us they know this is their responsibility, and they want to make it right.”
Speaking from the audience, John Vail questioned the Board’s response to the library’s financial troubles, and whether they were really taking the matter seriously.
“I’ve worked in Human Resources all my life and we know that the Board of Trustees reprimanded him (Keiser),” Vail noted. “You don’t reprimand someone when you intend to fire them. They obviously think it’s ok and enough. You [commissioners] need to send a letter to them that as the main funding source you don’t have faith in their director and they need to replace him.”
While both Fithian and Pickrum agreed with Vail’s assessment, they declined to make any requests for personnel changes in a letter to the library. They would, however, ask that a revised budget be adopted by Aug. 17; ask the Board to account for the $26,000 in grant funds; and ask for the Board’s position on the additional money the county paid to cover construction costs.
The next Board of Trustee’s meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, Aug. 4 at 3 p.m. in the yellow building in the library’s parking lot. According to an agenda posted on the library’s Web site, the Board intends to discuss the Fiscal Year 2011 budget.
Buddy says
I’m surprised by the inaction here. Why, in an election year where the FISCAL CRISIS is KING, would the commissioners waffle on such an EASY DECISION.
You really can’t identify the problem here? Do we need to elect leaders that can?
Candidius says
@ Buddy, Did you miss all of the above about how the Commisioners have no legal authority over Library. How would you like them to fix this? Legally there is nothing they can do to fix it. You want to get mad at someone get mad at the Library Board (which is not elected) or get mad at the State (which set up this archaic system that allowed this to happen) and demand they fix it (which the AG must not be interested because he’s not filed any charges). Stop just complaining if you can’t offer up any solutions that will actually work.
Crop Circles Reconsidered says
“Forget it Jake. It’s Chinatown?”
John Vail, Worton says
The Kent County Commissioners are in a difficult position, truthfully. They possess tremendous power over the Library and its Board, but power they possess is solely the power of the purse. They could, obviously, stop (or threaten to stop) funding the Library with Kent County taxpayers’ money. Since the County’s contribution represents more than three-quarters of the total Library budget, that would result in the collapse of the Library system — which neither the Commissioners nor anyone else with any sense wants. So the direct power the Commissioners have is a blunt instrument that’s difficult to wield in the interest of all the citizens (and taxpayers) of the County.
While I was correctly quoted in Melissa’s article, my point was not so much that the Director should be replaced (although I think the Library Board must consider that action), but that Commissioners Fithian and Pickrum have clearly lost confidence in the Library Director. The Library Board must acknowledge that loss of confidence and recognize that the Commissioners’ confidence is essential to the continued success of the Library.
I am rapidly coming to the view that the State may have to take even more dramatic action than that described in Melissa’s article. It appears, from everything that has been discussed publicly in the Kent County News, in the Chestertown Spy, and at the Commissioners’ meetings, that the Library Board has not met its responsibility to oversee the Library’s finances, with the result that the Library — unlike any other public library system in the State of Maryland — has a negative fund balance and cannot meet its current financial commitments.
It is my sincere hope — as it clearly is Commissioner Fithian’s — that the current Library Board can take the fiscal and other steps necessary to put the Library on a sound financial footing and regain the confidence of the County Commissioners. I wish them well in this difficult task.
But if they do not, the Commissioners should consider asking the Maryland State Department of Education — which is ultimately responsible for oversight of public libraries — to put the Kent County Public Library into “receivership”; replace the current managment; recall the Library Board of Directors; install a State employee to oversee corrective actions in the interim; and reconstitute the Library Board as quickly as possible.
If the Library Board does not respond satisfactorily to this crisis, then it’s the Commissioners’ responsibility to ask the State to take action.
Warrior Bob Kramer says
Candidius: You want to get mad at someone get mad at the Library Board >>>>
Where have you been hiding? Start coming to the CC meetings on Tues… and the Library Board meetings the fourth Mondays each month. We need folks who ‘get it’.
Doesn'tAnybodyCare? says
While I applaud Vail’s comments and that he spoke out at Tuesday’s meeting, the Commissioners have more power than just the purse strings. They can demand the resignation of every Trustee – sionce they appointed each one — and fill the Board with dedicated, conscientious folks who can both read and count — and then ask hard questions. Maybe a group like that will fire Keiser.
As it now stands, the current unobservant board plan to cut staff positions to make up for Keiser’s flagrant – and flamboyant – excesses. So, despite Commissioner Fithian’s fervent wish, the “innocent will suffer” – indeed. It wasn’t the rank and file staff who caused this – but it’s their livelihoods that are on the block.
Outrage should be the mildest of public reactions to this debacle.
Why not start by demanding that Keiser and the 3 other staff who junketed to Key West pay back the cost of not just those $900 hotel rooms – but also airfare, taxis, meals, and conference registration – all expenses that must have been incurred but haven’t yet come to light? Each one of those 4 knew full well that they were not attending a library-related conference. Else, why all the secrecy?
There was no possible justification for a small, financially strapped library like KCPL to send 4 staff to a historians’ conference that no other Maryland library sent staff to at taxpayer expense.
“Staff development” ! Hah!
library lover says
its a shame, the library staff is very nice and helpful and they deserve better leadership from there director and the board and commissioners.
Warrior Bob Kramer says
John Vail ‘gets it’, too.
Doesn’t AnybodyCare? makes some good points. Unfortunately the folks who should have cared the most didn’t. Maybe you should stop by 400 High Street on Tuesday a.m. and join the ‘gets it’ group… and you’ll see and hear how Maryland’s education system, which includes the public libraries, ties the local elected officials’ hands… rather tightly…. and you’ll appreciate the job that Pat Merritt, her staff and Suzie Hayman have done to get us to this point.
Doesn'tAnybodyCare? says
Yes, Warrior Bob – I agree. Would that I had the time to take off work and attend the meetings you mention. Kent County could benefit from the involved and vocal attention of more well-intentioned citizens such as you and Mr. Vail. I really appreciate that there are good reporters like Ms. McIntire willing to sit through the meetings and record what is said. The Commissioner’s Minutes are good, once they are posted. But they don’t reveal all the nuances like she does.
And the Library Board’s Minutes ? — Well, don’t hold your breath. They are real skimpy and gloss over what ever actually happens. I sat on some boards myself over the years and I have never seen such uninformative minutes. What there is reads as though somebody knew there was something to hide for years now.
I agree that Hayman and Merritt have risen admirably to the challenge of what sounds like a massive undertaking: sorting through the incomplete and chaotic records kept by an incompetent library director and “overseen” by an uninvolved and clueless Board.
Try calling the Chestertown library – many days, neither the director or the assistant director is even there. And the diirector’s voice mailbox? Forgetaboutit – always full. I think he does not want to hear what his patrons (and creditors!) have to say. I wonder if he ever actually even works a full week. Although, all things considered, maybe it’s better that he isn’t there, screwing things up even more.
Kent County’s library system, while small, has always held a place of respect on the shore and across the state. Rock Hall has been great about supporting its branch for decades, with volunteers and by providing a location at no cost to the County. And the new Galena branch is a nice, although the rent sounds pretty high to me — $1650 per month? How does that compare to getting free space in the town hall at Rock Hall?
Couldn’t the director and library board work out a better deal and save some of that rent money to buy books and pay the staff who actually work? Maybe now is the time to try again – when everybody knows that the library is on hard times. The landlord may want to help keep the library branch open, as I am sure it’s a good draw for the other small businesses in that same plaza. Probably lots of people visit the library and stop in to shop at the same time. That is worth something, isn’t it?
Candidius says
@ Doesn’t Anybody Care. The Commisioners can demand the resignation of the board but they have no authority to dismiss the board. So if board members refuse to resign there is nothing they can do about it. Vail is right the best solution would be to petittion the State BOE to put KCPL into recivership (effectively bankruptcy) and have the state straighten this mess out. Its the way the state has structured the public library system that’s causing all this in action not the commisioner’s lack of resolve.
I agree the Board and Kieser should resign but nothing short of cutting their allocation back to the bare minimum required by state law (thus forcing them to do so risk even greater insolvency) there is nothing they can do to compell such actions.
Doesn'tAnybodyCare? says
Candidius, I bow to your superior knowledge of the law — I sure wouldn’t want to appear to be contradicting a missionary of such note & dedication. (Confession: I had to google your screen name — had no clue who Candidius was!)
But I guess what I meant by ‘demanding the resignations of the Board members’ might more accurately have been phrased “asking” or “requesting”. What law says they can’t at least ask? If you were appointed to a county-wide board and both Pickrum and Fithian outright said, “It doesn’t look good” — wouldn’t you just write them a polite letter of thanks but no thanks…and move on to some other organization and drive IT into receivership ?
I mean, come on! How dense are these people.? In fact – who are they – even ? It’s hard to tell from the website who is still on the Board there at Kent Library – seems like the players have changed only recently……Maybe it’s only the ones who have been there since Keiser started his spending spree who should bow out gracefully now before their credibility is even more tarnished. I see the same names in the paper over and over — but there are supposed to be 7 members, according to The Kent County News. Why aren’t the rest of them speaking up in defense of humongous hotel bills ?
If I were in that group – new or not, I would want out. Now.
I understand that somebody there might feel compelled by “honor” to stick it out long enough to at least reverse this statewide embarrassment…but to what end? Does anyone really believe that redemption is feasible after five years in a row of ignoring the audit findings and not even at least just asking the library director where all the money is going?
I looked at the library website today …there is something called The Trustees Manual right there, looks like it’s from the state. In yesterday’s KCN, O’donnell quoted a bunch of stuff that it seems that none of the trustees on that board have done – none. Not one. Holy Cow!
This board’s poor performance makes me wonder what’s up with every other board in town and also wonder how the rest of my tax money is being squandered. I guess as soon as I can retire, I will have to join that ‘gets it’ group along with Bob and Vail! Hope to see you there, too – Candidius.
Warrior Bob Kramer says
Doesn’tAnybodyCare? gets it, too.
Thanks for some insightful thoughts into a truly messy and unfortunate situation. It’s messy because of folks who were supposed to be doing their jobs didn’t. It’s unfortunate because the board has some very well-meaning people… and the library is a great asset of the county.
Candidius and Doesn’tAnybodyCare?: you are both welcome to come anytime and join John and me at the county commissioner meetings. I sit on the second row left and John sits right behind me. And… thanks for caring… both of you. It’s too easy for citizens to lay back and let apathy take its nasty course.
MD Eastern Shore says
In our free market capitalist system, businesses which make poor decisions close their doors. Why should publicly funded entities be any different? Yank the funding, can the employees, close the library doors, and start from scratch. If times are that bad in Kent County, perhaps a government funded lending library is a luxury which can be done without. Meanwhile, a new business plan with new locations, new funding, and new employees can be drafted and implemented. A much more reasonable and responsible way can and must be found.