1981-05-19 City of Beverly, Massachusetts
Public Meeting Minutes
Board: Library Trustees
Subcommittee: Finance Committee
Date: 05/19/1981
Place: Beverly Public Library
Board members present: Neil B. Olson, Mary K. Connots, John R. Coogan, and Dr. Edna M.
MeGlynn
Board members absent:
Others present:
Recorder: Barbara Smith
Finance Committee
Beverly Public Library
May 19, 1981
Present were: Jack Coogan, Chairman; Dr. Edna MeGlynn; Nell Olson; Mary Connots. Also present
were: Esther Calish and Barbara Smith.
Mr. Olson reviewed the events surrounding the budget. The Mayor's additional 5% cut had been
made without understanding the implications, particularly since the cuts had been made in line items.
He told Mr. Olson that he had no intention of dosing the Farms or dosing the Main Library on
weekends. Mr. Olson told the Mayor that he would get back to him to discuss alternatives after the
meeting of the Trustees Finance Committee. If the state 2 ~,~ bail-out comes through, we would ask
for the 5% and more to be restored and he would attempt to get a firm commitment from the Mayor
on this.
Mr. Coogan stated that he was very disappointed in the Mayor's action. We had complied with his
request to cut 20% from last year's budget and an additional 5% is an enormous amount of money
for us. The extra cut gives us no choice but to close the Main Library on weekends and to operate
the Farms with only volunteer help. The decrease in hours will not qualify us for state aid next year.
Even if we cut one more full time position, we would not generate the $21,000 or additional 5%.
The attached analysis packet was discussed. Mr. Coogan pointed out that the budget we submitted
for FY 81/82 contained service cuts. We do not want to mislead the public that even if the 5% is
restored, all services will operate as in this year.
Dr. MeGlynn expressed her concern about a possible Saturday closing and emphasized keeping the
Farms open at least with volunteers.
Mr. Olson said that he would deliver the analysis packet to the Mayors office next morning with a
cover letter inviting him to attend the regular Board meeting Thursday, May 21. The letter would
contain the following recommendation which is the recommendation the Finance Committee will
make to the full Board on Thursday:
It is the recommendation of the Finance Committee that if the 25% cut is implemented, the Main
Library close the stated hours appearing on the analysis sheet and the Farms Branch close with the
exception of whatever voluntary service can be obtained.
The meeting adjourned at 6:15 p.m.
Barbara Smith
Recorder
1. The $325,890 budget we submitted for FY 81/82 (which included the mandated 20% cut)
provided for library service every day of the week but not on the same basis as presently. With the
loss of four full-time positions and 4000 hours of part-time, we had planned to provide the
schedule on page 3 (attached) which cuts Main Library from 69 to 60 hours and the Farms from
32 to 10 hours. We planned to do this by rearranging staff schedules. This plan would have
qualified us for state aid.
2. The additional 5% cut proposed by the Mayor means severe cuts in service. $12,620 provides
only 75 hours of part-time help per week, sufficient to cover shelving and a few hours of typing in
Technical Services only. That cut, together with the $2,000 cut from the custodians overtime
allotment precludes weekend hours because Saturday and Sunday service would cost $7,497.60.
We would be forced to a limited schedule as follows:
Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday
12-9 12-9 9-6 9-6 9-6
We could not qualify for state aid with this budget. It would also necessitate the closing of the
Farms Branch except for whatever voluntary service can be obtained.
BREAKDOWN OF PART-TIME HOURS
Weekend Service Costs:
Saturday - 23 hours @ 3.30 for 44 weeks $3,339.60
Sunday - 15 hours @ 3.30 for 44 weeks 2,178.00
(Custodians overtime on Sunday for 44 weeks = $1980)
Total cost of operating on weekends = $7,497.60
Weekday Service Costs:
Circulation (Shelving and desk coverage for main desk and Youth
Room) 68 hours @ 3.30 for 52 weeks (40 hours for main desk,
18 hours for Youth Room) 12,830.40
Special Services - 10 hours @ 3.40 for 52 weeks 1,768.00
Technical Services Typist - 12.5 hours @ 3.40 for 52 weeks 2,210.00
Bookmobile - Assistant needed for 7 hours @ 3.30 for 48 weeks 1 1,108.00
Farms - 10 hours @ 3.40 for 52 weeks 1,768.00
$25,202.80
Amount requested for Part-time in 81/82 budget $25,260.00
Weekly Use of Part-Time Hours 80/81 81/82
Public Service and Shelving (Main Desk and Youth Roo~n)
Weekdays 88 68
Saturday 34 23
Sunday 15 15
Bookmobile 7 7
Senior Programming and Home Delivery 10 10
Typist in Technical Services 20 12.5
Farms 36 10
Total Part-Time Hours per Week 210 145.5
This is 30%
less than in
8O/81
CUSTODIANS' OVERTIME
Pay rates - effective 7/1/81 - straight time = 7.31, time and one half= 10.96 1/1/82 - straight time = 7.45, time and one half = 11.17
Holidays - 11 full days off, no extra money
4 half-days (according to their DPW contract), library opened beyond 12 PM
To custodian required to work - 16 hours, X T ½ = 178.72
To custodian whose NORMAL half-day OFF falls on the ½ holiday
(16 hours X straight time) = 119.20
Birthday - paid at Time and a half
coverage at night only - 2 nights X 4 hours X 11.17 = 89.36
Personal Days - each receives 3 per year 1 coverage paid at Time and a half- 6
nights x 4 hours x 11.17 = 268.08
Military Leave - for Green, 2 weeks, coverage paid at Tim and a half
(1 short week - 2 nights, + 1 long week - 3 nights)- 5 x 4 hrs. x 11.17 = 368.61
Night Differential - .40 per hour paid after 4:00 P.M.
4 nights for 1 oust., 2 nights for other = 22 hours weekly x 52 wks.= 457.60
Vacations - coverage paid at Tim and a half, figuring nights only
9 weeks for 2 men (= 108 hours x 11.17 = 1,206.36
Snow Removal - paid at Time and a half estimate 36 hours x 11.17 -- 402.12
Recall - paid at Time and a half, 4 hours each time estimate 8 recalls x 4 hours = 32
hours x 11.17 = 357.44
3,749.08
WEEK ENDS
Saturday coverage - for sick leave, military leave, vacations estimate 15 days x 9
hours x 11.17 = 1,507.95
Sunday coverage - 44 days x 4 hours x 11.17 = 1,980.00
3,487.95
TOTAL ESTIMATE FOR OVERTIME 7~237.03
Total Amount Budgeted with 20% cut 4,401.00
Approved by Mayor (25% cut) 2,401.00
Library Staffing Needs
(not including Administration)
Shif~ 1 Shif~ ½ Shii~ 2 Total Presently
9 - 12 12 - 6 6 - 9 Needed on Staff
Reference 1 2 2 3 1 * *Assistant Director, Special
Services, Technical Services and
Circulation 2 4 2 4 3 Media Librarians also work
Reference
Youth Services 1 3 2 3 2
Extension Services 3 3 3 3 * * * * The full-time professional
(Bookmobile, Outreach, librarian at the Branch will be
Special Services) transferred to Main Library to
help alleviate the critical s
Technical Services 1 1 1 1
Media 1 1 1 1
15 11
Administrative Staff Total Staff
Director 14
Assistant Director
Library Assistant (works
circulation on weekends)
We have been able to maintain our present hours with the help of part-time staff for 10,806 hours. Due to the 1) 0% cut, we have
budgeted for only 6,860 hours of part-time in 81/82. With the loss of four full-time staff positions and 4000 hours of part-time, the
maximum number of hours we can be open at Main Library in 81/82 is 60 and ten hours at the Branch. Even then, no provision is made
for illness or vacations.
Projected Summer Schedule
Main Library
MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY
9-9 9-9 9-9 9-9 9-6
This schedule would allow us to save 12 hours per weekend of part-time help in addition to that saved by full-time staff not
requiring free days on weekdays. This latter savings would only amount to about 8 hours per week but combined with the 12
hours makes a significant addition to be added to the winter schedule. Calculating an 8-week summer schedule, this would allow
us to add another 160 hours to our part-time hours in winter (or 3 more hours per week in winter).
The only cut from previous years' summer schedules is 9 - 1 on Saturday.
Farms
THURSDAY FRIDAY
4-9 10-3
These hours are the same as those projected for winter so that the schedule can be consistent and not confuse the public.,
Projected Winter Schedule
Main Library
MONDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY
12-9 9-6 9-6 9-6 9-5
TUESDAY
9-9
Cuts from last year's schedule are Monday morning (3 hours), and Wednesday and Thursday evening (3 hours each) for a total of 9
hours. With the cut in pan-time hours, full-time staff must be on duty as much as possible during the hours the library is open. This
schedule requires only one 2-shift day compared to last year's four 2-shift days. A 2shift day, in effect, cuts the number of full-time staff
available for public service in half. Not only do we have fewer pan time hours to allot, but also we have lost those people who were
able to work hours our students cannot, e. g. in the morning. Therefore, on Monday, which is our busiest day, the entire staff would be
on hand. The pages or other pan time people could be assigned totally to stack work. This would also be true on Wednesday and
Thursday. Friday, a relatively slow day, would be the flee day for those full-time staff on weekend duty. Tuesday, then, would be our
most difficult day to cover and the one on which we would require considerable pan-time help. We have only 100 hours per week of
pan-time help in public service provided for in the 81/82 budget. over the seven day week, this gives us only 14 hours per day to
schedule. Saturday alone requires a minimum of 14 hours pan-time.
One advantage of this schedule is that there is no day on which there is no library service.
Farms
THURSDAY FRIDAY
4-9 10-3
We have allotted ten hours of pan-time help for the Branch.
We will need a volunteer as the second person.
The Thursday evening opening would help us meet our requirement to qualify for state aid. We could also have Board