Oversight Tension Threatens Future of Ontario Branch

The board of the Windsor (Ont.) Public Library, which voted April 9 to close the South Walkerville branch as a result of a $400,000 budget cut imposed by the city council in February, is rethinking its decision after the council ousted one trustee and appointed two new ones April 28, according to the May 1 Windsor Star.

The library board’s original plan was to close the branch in August when its lease is due to expire, according to the April 11 Star. The city council, however, had ordered trustees not to close any branches when it imposed the budget cuts. Two days after the council reconstituted the library board’s membership, WPL trustees voted April 30 to look into extending South Walkerville’s lease on a month-to-month basis.

”It doesn’t mean that South Walkerville is going to be saved, necessarily, at that location,” said Library Board Chair Alan Halberstadt, who is also a city councilor and the only person to serve in both organizations. “But we’re going to look at other options and consult with the public.”

Relations between the council and the library board have been strained for some time. The council demanded a line-by-line audit of library finances March 5 after learning about a salary raise that Halberstadt gave to a manager by mistake and rescinded before it took effect, the Star reported March 7. “I guess they didn’t want to forgive my mistake, they’d rather draw and quarter me,” Halberstadt said at the time; board member Jimmy Stuart said it was part of a power struggle for control of the library system.

Although the city council funds the library, the library board is independent, and council can only take control if there is mismanagement.

Posted on May 2, 2008. Discuss.

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