No Friday Hours at Wheaton Public Library Irks Council Members

Link to June 9 Daily Herald article, "Wheaton officials clash over Friday library closures".

Excerpt: City council members are doing more than criticizing Wheaton Public Library officials' decision to close the facility on Fridays.

They are vowing to do everything in their power to force the library board to abandon the cost-cutting move.

"We need to address this - and address this quickly - because our wishes are not being implemented," Councilman Howard Levine said. "This is a situation that cannot stand."

Library officials made no secret they were considering the Friday closures to make up for the loss of $300,000 in property tax revenue the city withheld to deal with its own budgetary problems.

When Wheaton adopted a budget that cut the funding, the library board approved the closure plan, which took effect last Friday.

"It was not a unanimous vote," library board President Colleen McLaughlin said, "so it certainly was a tough decision to make."

Related articles:
Bad news/good news.  (5/21/2010)
More budget cuts could lead to no Friday hours.  (3/20/2010)

Outpouring of Support for Wheaton Public Library.  (3/6/2010)