87°
The Ferguson Library's Board of Trustees announced Monday it has requested that the Stamford Board of Representatives remove from its agenda a proposal to establish a fund that would have closed the library's outstanding budget gap. Instead, the library will seek union concessions to help address the issue, according to a statement.
The board of trustees proposed the creation of a library fund to address a $1.2 million deficit. However, municipal officials resisted the idea, saying the city lacks authorization to establish such a fund.
"Last week, the city's director of legal affairs rebuffed the proposed resolution, saying neither the city nor the Board of Representatives had the authority to establish such a fund," the trustees said in Monday's release.
In a letter dated Aug. 27 sent to the Board of Representatives from library Board of Trustees Chairman George B. Harvey, specific reasons are given for the withdrawal.
"We are aware that our request to the Board of Representatives has generated a lot of controversy, and we do not want to be in the position of polarizing the city," said Harvey, writing on behalf of the trustees. "We also want to avoid embroiling the city and the library in costly and time-consuming litigation concerning the board's authority to create a library fund, litigation which we have been informed would inevitably follow were the board to approve the fund creation resolution."
A meeting with union representatives is planned in hopes of securing cost-saving concessions. However, it's likely the board still will follow through on proposed cuts even if concessions are gained.
Earlier this month, the board announced that the budget shortfall would result in a drastic reduction of staff and library hours by mid-September.
Click here to follow Daily Voice Stamford and receive free news updates.
