Link to November 19 Times of Trenton article, "Library limbo again."
Excerpt: The city's library board is again poised to permanently vacate the four shuttered library branches and turn the buildings over to the city, despite Mayor Tony Mack's efforts to reopen them in the afternoons as havens for schoolchildren.
Mack's latest move was to have acting business administrator Elaine Adams send the library director a letter pointing out that the city has budgeted sufficient funds to reopen the branches, which were shut down in August.
"Please be advised that $2,737,248 has been allocated for the Trenton Public Library for fiscal 2011," Adams wrote to director Kimberly Matthews on Tuesday, according to a copy of the letter provided by the administration. A page from the proposed city budget is attached to the letter.
Matthews and the board of the independent library system have declined to move ahead with the reopenings, saying they want a letter from Mack providing additional money for the branches, or a budget approved by the city council. The council is not expected to pass the city budget for several weeks at least.
Previously noted in RGD:
Library officials still haven't seen the money. (10/27/2010)
Library officials to mayor: "Show us the money". 10/26/2010)
Now there appears to be money to keep Trenton's branches open. (10/23/2010)
Reprieve unlikely for 4 branches. (10/22/2010)
Trenton Mayor, Library Director need unified vision & common agenda. (9/12/2010)
Preserving Trenton's libraries. (8/15/2010)
Board president laments closing of 4 branches. (8/7/2010)
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