by Bradley Parsons
Staff Writer
The mayor’s office wants to spend $650,000 for a consultant’s advice on how to cut costs in the City’s libraries.
Mayor John Peyton and Jacksonville’s library board agreed in April to slash the board’s budget request for next year from $36.5 million to $31.5 million. But City Finance director Cal Ray said the two sides do not agree on the personnel needs of a growing library system. The evaluation could help settle the question, he said.
“There’s not total agreement on what the staffing model should look like,” said Ray. “That’s why it’s necessary to bring in a respected, highly credible consultant to perform an independent review of the library board’s (staffing) recommendations.”
Ray told the City Council’s Finance Committee Monday that the consultant would also recommend ways to streamline the library system, offering better service for less money. The committee refused to vote on Peyton’s request for the money. Council Auditor Richard Wallace said the City already set aside $200,000 for the same purpose, bringing the total bill to $850,000. Several Council members questioned the amount while others said the City should hire a library director first.
Council member Warren Alvarez asked if the City was spending $850,000 to settle an argument between the mayor’s office and the library board.
Public Library spokesperson Stacie Bucher said the board, Peyton and library administrators had already agreed that the expanded system would employ around 450 people next year. Ray said the number had been cut from 522 people originally requested by the board to more than 400. But he said The City might still cut from “back office, support functions.” By severing those jobs, Ray said the City would save enough next year to pay for the consultant.
The library system is expected in 2005 to open six new branches and expand several others. She said the study’s main benefit would be recommendations for ways to improve library services.
“It’s something the mayor’s office and the library staff supports as far as looking at: How fast do you get books out there to people and how to build in efficiency,” said Bucher.
Several Council members said they expected that the City’s new library director might be able to answer those questions once hired. The City is conducting a national search to replace Ken Sivulich, who resigned after debating similar budget and staffing questions with City Hall.
“It seems to me like we’re doing this backward,” said Council member Daniel Davis. “We should bring in the director and then study staffing and these other matters. The director should be coming up with ways to make the system more efficient.”
Board chair Steve Rosenbloom agreed. He said the review would be more effective if conducted with the cooperation of the new director.
“It might be a little premature for this, unless this is something where we’re just going to figure out how to cut our staffing to the bone,” said Rosenbloom. “Because my sense is, this consultant is not going to find ways to increase staff.”
Rosenbloom acknowledged that the City’s library costs were rising, but he said increases in staff and funding were necessary to maintain service as the public uses its libraries more. He said library use is increasing 12 to 14 percent annually.
Alvarez said the public will determine how much staff is necessary. No matter what the study recommends, Alvarez said the City would have to hire enough staff to keep library users happy.