Saturday, December 3, 2011
Apparently, Alleged Fraud Isn't Midwestern Telecommunications' Only Misdoing
Excerpt: PSC monitoring of Midwestern reimbursements found the company went from receiving 1 percent of the state's federal Lifeline and Link-Up reimbursements in 2010 to 33.3 percent in 2011.
I'm waiting to read the letter from tw telecom requesting that the Joint Legislative Audit Committee expand the scope of the USF audit.
Dear Jerry,
I'm sure you'll find this book useful.
Sincerely,
Retiring Guy
Neil Young Had It Right About Alabama
I'm from a new land
I come to you
and see all this ruin
What are you doing Alabama?
You got the rest of the union
to help you along
What's going wrong?
A Fistful of Dollars
To the tune of $40,000,000.
Public Knowledge Releases Details of AT&T Lobbying, Media Campaigns. (Public Knowledge, 11/30/2011)
Excerpt: AT&T has hired three former U.S. senators, four former members of the House and dozens of staff members of current and former legislators of both parties to push its $39 billion takeover of T-Mobile, according to a review of lobbying records by Public Knowledge.
In addition, PK also released information showing AT&T has spent $40 million in advertising to push the merger between May and October. Of that total, about $14 million was spent in June alone. The bulk of the spending was for TV ads, much of that concentrated in Washington and New York. [Madison''s print media received $54,900.]
The roster of the AT&T All-Star Lobbying Team. (1st of 4 pages.)
More red and blue (fistfuls) as you continue.
A spreadsheet of the advertising data is here.
"We're getting the short end of the stick," legislators howl.
Public Knowledge Releases Details of AT&T Lobbying, Media Campaigns. (Public Knowledge, 11/30/2011)
Excerpt: AT&T has hired three former U.S. senators, four former members of the House and dozens of staff members of current and former legislators of both parties to push its $39 billion takeover of T-Mobile, according to a review of lobbying records by Public Knowledge.
In addition, PK also released information showing AT&T has spent $40 million in advertising to push the merger between May and October. Of that total, about $14 million was spent in June alone. The bulk of the spending was for TV ads, much of that concentrated in Washington and New York. [Madison''s print media received $54,900.]
The roster of the AT&T All-Star Lobbying Team. (1st of 4 pages.)
A spreadsheet of the advertising data is here.
"We're getting the short end of the stick," legislators howl.
Newt Gingrich: The Whack-a Mole of U.S. Politics
YouTube as metaphor.
How come the rest of us aren't so lucky?
How come the rest of us aren't so lucky?
Define "Judicial Activism"
For those of you who think there's no connection, I have this item for sale.
And why did the Journal-Sentinel editors insist Marley write separate articles?
Mass Transit Service: Reality (Cash-Strapped Cities) vs. Fantasy (Federal Law)
Excerpt: It’s no surprise that mass transit agencies are cutting back service and raising fares. The same thing is happening to public services across the board. But the impact of cuts in this area on the employment situation can be quite dire. A recent University of Milwaukee analysis, for example, found that proposed cuts will cause loss of bus service to 997 employers in the Milwaukee area. A decent chunk of the approximately 8 percent of Milwaukee area workers who rely on mass transit for their commute may be literally unable to get to work. Many more will experience increased costs and inconvenience—longer waits, higher fares—and the same story is playing out across the country.
Petri, Ribble seek flexibility in federal funds for Northeastern transit systems. (Appleton Post-Crescent, 12/2/2011)
Excerpt: By law, urbanized areas of 200,000 or more people are barred from using formula-based federal assistance money for operations. The law is based on the notion that metropolitan areas of that size are able to generate their own operating funds.
Friday, December 2, 2011
Board of Commissioners of Public Lands Biennial Report/Summary of Common School Fund Assets ("Annotated")
Summary of Trust Assets:
(From page 10.)
Origin. About 1.5 million acres granted by the federal government in 1848. (Sidebar: "A brief history of education in Wisconsin" is found at The Wisconsin Mosaic.)
Land remaining in Trust as of June 30, 2011. 5,626 acres. (Map of BCPL trust lands ownership. 70,846 acres are in the Normal School Fund, which is also described on page 12 of the report.)
Principal as of June 30, 2011, Over $835 million.
Additions to principal. In fiscal years (FY) 2010 and 2011, slightly more than $63.2 million was added through the collection of civil and criminal fines, fees, and forfeitures, and proceeds from the state’s Unclaimed Property Program (As set forth in Article X, Section 2 of the State Constitution)
Investments
• BCPL State Trust Fund Loans (loans to municipalities and school districts to fund public purpose projects)
• State of Wisconsin general obligation bonds
• General obligation bonds issued by Wisconsin municipalities and school districts
• State Investment Fund
Gross earnings in FY 2010 and 2011. $69.9 million
Earnings distribution. Each year, after operating expenses are subtracted, net earnings are forwarded to the Department of Public Instruction for distribution as public school library aid. These funds often represent most, if not all, of a school district’s library budget. A total of $65.6 million in earnings was distributed in FY 2010 and 2011.
Scott Township Commissioners: Too Much Time on Their Hands?
Uncertainty surrounds proposed budget in Scott. (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, 12/1/2011)
Excerpt: Though the 2012 budget is scheduled to be adopted Dec. 27, Commissioner Craig Stephens said the spending plan could be reopened because 2011 was an election year. A new budget would have to be adopted by Feb. 15.
Also uncertain is how long the Scott Township Public Library will continue to use the public meeting room for its popular children's programs.
Officials sparred last week with library representatives and supporters over use of the room, which is adjacent to the library in the municipal building.
Though the commissioners voted to partition off a 10-by-24-foot section of the tax office, it wasn't specified whether that area would be for library use. The projected cost for the work is $4,000.
Township officials have complained in recent weeks that library programs often leave the meeting room messy, a complaint the library denies. One of the complaints was about animal feathers that were found in the room after a recent library program.
"That room is not locked or secure," said library director Janet Forton after the meeting. "I'm always turning the lights off. People use that room throughout the day, including people waiting for the magistrate."
"[Some officials] don't want to recognize that it's an open public space," she added.
Related posts:
Pettiness alert. (11/25/2011)
A Vibrant, Growing Community of Faith? Sadly, No More
Designed by Edward Burling and Francis Whitehouse, the Church of the Epiphany was one of the first Chicago examples of Richardsonian Romanesque, a dominant architectural style in the latter half of the 19th Century. [Source]
Relief That the Cuts to Library Services Weren't More Severe Demonstrate We Live in "Curious Times"
Chicago's neighborhood libraries in a bind. Cuts will slice hours, force higher-ups to shelve books instead of helping people. (Chicago Journal, 11/30/2011)
Excerpt: Anders Lindall, spokesman for AFSCME Local-31, which represents library workers, argued that the layoffs will overwhelm librarians.
“The demands placed on librarians to merely keep books on the shelves will sharply decrease the time and attention they can devote to helping patrons,” Lindall said.
“We saw the same two years ago, when Mayor Daley laid off more than 100 library employees,” Lindall added. “After trying to muddle through for three months, he cut branch hours by 16 a week because employees were burning out.”
CPL acknowledges the challenge ahead.
“Obviously having fewer staff means the remaining staff will have to pitch in and do more, wearing several hats as they help to shelve books, empty book drops and such — just as we did after the layoffs in 2009,” said Ruth Lednicer, director of marketing and press at CPL.
As for specific consequences, Lednicer said that there might be delay in processing transactions like holds and returning items to the shelves.
But while disappointing to CPL, AFSCME and patrons, the cuts are not surprising.
In fact, the political focus has not been on how these cuts will affect library branches like Roosevelt or Chinatown or Lozano in Pilsen, but that Emanuel did not make even greater reductions. An original budget proposal suggested trimming $11.3 million from the yearly budget and making 284 — instead of 184 — layoffs.
Congratulations to Pat Freitag for her 19 Years of Service as Children's Librarian @ the Graham Public Library
Open House to honor long-time children’s librarian. (MyRacineCounty.com, 11/25/2011. Unfortunately, this website doesn't provide direct links to articles.)
Excerpt: Pat Freitag has been a familiar face at Union Grove’s Graham Public library for the last 19 years, however, she has decided to retire at the end of the year.
An open house will be held in her honor on Friday, Dec. 2, from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m., at the library.
Freitag worked as a kindergarten teacher and a pre-school director before she became children’s librarian at Graham Public Library in 1992.
“I liked it because I got to do everything,” Freitag said, reflecting on her career. She enjoyed the variety of doing deskwork, reference work and working with kids, parents and grandparents.
Her job has had to evolve over the years to adapt to changing times. When she began, Freitag coordinated a story time for four and five-year-olds and would typically see 15 to 18 kids in a group.
Over time, the numbers decreased, which Freitag credits to more children being in daycare. To adapt, Freitag just lowered the target age for story time to two- and three-year-olds.
She has also done lap-sit classes for infants, family story times and family book discussions. “Things have evolved constantly,” Freitag said.
Thursday, December 1, 2011
The Legislative Audit Process in Wisconsin (USF Case Study in the Making?)
1. Request to Joint Legislative Audit Committee.
2. Committee directs the Legislative Audit Bureau to conduct an audit. (Decided on a case-by-case basis.)
3. Legislative Audit Bureau conducts audit.
4. Report submitted to committee.
5. Committee conducts public hearings.
6. Committee introduces legislation, if it chooses to do so.
(2, 5, 6) Joint Legislative Audit Committee
From the State of Wisconsin website: The Joint Legislative Audit Committee was created by Chapter 224, Laws of Wisconsin 1975. Its membership consists of the co-chairpersons of the Joint Committee on Finance, two other majority and two minority party senators, and two other majority and two minority party representatives.
The Committee has advisory responsibilities for the Legislative Audit Bureau.
Current members of the Joint Legislative Audit Committee
Agency information
General
The Legislative Audit Bureau is a non-partisan legislative service agency created to assist the Legislature in maintaining effective oversight of state operations.
The Bureau conducts objective audits and evaluations of state agency operations to
The results of these evaluations are provided to the Legislature, along with recommendations for improvements in agency operations.
2. Committee directs the Legislative Audit Bureau to conduct an audit. (Decided on a case-by-case basis.)
3. Legislative Audit Bureau conducts audit.
4. Report submitted to committee.
5. Committee conducts public hearings.
6. Committee introduces legislation, if it chooses to do so.
[Highlights added.]
to chairs of Joint Legislative Audit Committee
From the State of Wisconsin website: The Joint Legislative Audit Committee was created by Chapter 224, Laws of Wisconsin 1975. Its membership consists of the co-chairpersons of the Joint Committee on Finance, two other majority and two minority party senators, and two other majority and two minority party representatives.
- Directs the Audit Bureau to conduct audits and evaluations
- Receives and reviews reports issued by the Bureau
- Conducts hearings on Audit Bureau reports
- Introduces legislation pertaining to Audit Bureau recommendations.
Current members of the Joint Legislative Audit Committee
(3, 4)
General
The Legislative Audit Bureau is a non-partisan legislative service agency created to assist the Legislature in maintaining effective oversight of state operations.
The Bureau conducts objective audits and evaluations of state agency operations to
- Ensure financial transactions have been made in a legal and proper manner
- Determine whether programs are administered effectively, efficiently, and in accordance with the policies of the Legislature and the Governor.
The results of these evaluations are provided to the Legislature, along with recommendations for improvements in agency operations.
Looking at Wisconsin Public Library Circulation From a Variety of Angles
First of all, we can take a straightforward, unvarnished look -- circulation by library according to community population. [NOTE: The Wisconsin Public Library Service Data for 2010 is the sole source for the bar graphs in this little exercise.]
No surprises in Bar Graph 1, as larger communities have a larger customer base.
The 81 public libraries maintained by communities of less than 1,000 comprise a service area that includes 2.5% of the state's population and 2.3% of the state's public library circulation.
The 20 largest public libraries comprise a service area that includes 39.5% of the state's population and 43.0% of the state's public library circulation.
A leveling effect occurs in Bar Graph 2, however, when we look at per capita circulation.
The 81 public libraries maintained by communities of less than 1,000 population have an average per capita circulation of 10.5.
The 20 largest public libraries have an average per capita circulation of 10.4
Based on these numbers, I'll stick out my neck and say that no matter what the location -- rural, urban, small town, suburb -- Wisconsin residents love and value their public libraries.
Anyone want to speculate on the above-average numbers for libraries in communities in the 5,000 to 39,999 population range?
Once upon a time, I used circulation per FTE (fulltime equivalent staff) as a way to demonstrate the Middleton Public Library's high level of use. I can't say with any certitude that it decisively influenced any members of the city's finance committee. Maybe it's just more a reflection of my fascination with numbers, which goes back to a young boy's obsession with baseball statistics. (It's a good thing we didn't have the Internet back then!)
Here's my Middleton example, from the 2006 budget proposal. As you might guess, it's included as part of a book budget decision item.
[Sidebar: "In the Middle of It All" was the Middleton Tourism Commission's promotional tag line in the mid 2000s. It's been changed since then.]
Here's how the statewide numbers by population category look.
Finally, here's the fourth and last angle, whose preparation served as a calming measure while I watched last night's Wisconsin-North Carolina basketball game on TV.
Not surprisingly, Bar Graph 4 corresponds most closely to Bar Graph 1.
Related posts:
Status Report on Wisconsin's Public Libraries (Part 2A: Where Does the Money Come From?) (11/28/2011)
Status Report on Wisconsin's Public Libraries (Part 2: Where Does the Money Come From?) {11/22/2011)
No surprises in Bar Graph 1, as larger communities have a larger customer base.
The 81 public libraries maintained by communities of less than 1,000 comprise a service area that includes 2.5% of the state's population and 2.3% of the state's public library circulation.
The 20 largest public libraries comprise a service area that includes 39.5% of the state's population and 43.0% of the state's public library circulation.
Bar Graph 1
A leveling effect occurs in Bar Graph 2, however, when we look at per capita circulation.
The 81 public libraries maintained by communities of less than 1,000 population have an average per capita circulation of 10.5.
The 20 largest public libraries have an average per capita circulation of 10.4
Based on these numbers, I'll stick out my neck and say that no matter what the location -- rural, urban, small town, suburb -- Wisconsin residents love and value their public libraries.
Anyone want to speculate on the above-average numbers for libraries in communities in the 5,000 to 39,999 population range?
Bar Graph 2
Once upon a time, I used circulation per FTE (fulltime equivalent staff) as a way to demonstrate the Middleton Public Library's high level of use. I can't say with any certitude that it decisively influenced any members of the city's finance committee. Maybe it's just more a reflection of my fascination with numbers, which goes back to a young boy's obsession with baseball statistics. (It's a good thing we didn't have the Internet back then!)
Here's my Middleton example, from the 2006 budget proposal. As you might guess, it's included as part of a book budget decision item.
[Sidebar: "In the Middle of It All" was the Middleton Tourism Commission's promotional tag line in the mid 2000s. It's been changed since then.]
Here's how the statewide numbers by population category look.
Bar Graph 3
Finally, here's the fourth and last angle, whose preparation served as a calming measure while I watched last night's Wisconsin-North Carolina basketball game on TV.
Not surprisingly, Bar Graph 4 corresponds most closely to Bar Graph 1.
Bar Graph 4
Related posts:
Status Report on Wisconsin's Public Libraries (Part 2A: Where Does the Money Come From?) (11/28/2011)
Status Report on Wisconsin's Public Libraries (Part 2: Where Does the Money Come From?) {11/22/2011)
Status report on Wisconsin's public libraries, part 1. (11/19/2011)
Wisconsin public library staff, 1990-2010. (10/5/2011)
Wisconsin public library staff, 1990-2010. (10/5/2011)
Janesville Becomes 5th Community to Impose a Wheel Tax
Too much straw?
Wheel tax included in Janesville budget. (Janesville Gazette, 11/29/2011)
Excerpt: In approving the city of Janesville's 2012 budget Monday, the city council created a new fee that is seldom used in Wisconsin—a $10 wheel tax that will be tacked on to every vehicle license registration a resident holds.
One resident who spoke against the fee at a public hearing called it "the straw that broke the camel's back."
Monday's council vote on the budget was 4-2, with Kathy Voskuil, Russ Steeber, Yuri Rashkin and Deb Dongarra-Adams voting in favor and Tom McDonald and Sam Liebert voting against. Six council members are seated after George Brunner's recently resigned.
The budget calls for total expenditures of $45 million without tax increment financing, or a .46 percent increase. The tax levy—money that must be raised with property taxes—increases by 3.12 percent.
Related wheel tax posts:
Three Dane County supervisors propose wheel tax. (11/9/2011; it didn't fly.)
Hudson lawmaker puts his finger on Janesville's pulse. (10/20/2011)
Mayville retains its wheel tax. (10/13/2011)
Wheel tax proposed in Janesville. (10/12/2011)
Other Wisconsin county and municipal budget news.
Sheboygan City Attorney explains how a fee becomes a tax. (11/29/2011)
City of Edgerton 2012 budget. (11/23/2011)
City of Sun Prairie 2012 budget. (11/23/2011)
Reduced hours "possible" @ the Menasha Public Library. (11/22/2011)
City of Beaver Dam 2012 budget. (11/22/2011)At this point, Sheboygan budget includes no cuts to Mead Library and Fire Department. (11/21/2011)
City of Milton 2012 budget. (11/17/2011)
City of Whitewater 2012 budget. (11/17/2011)
Sheboygan officials look to privatize cleaning services @ 3 city facilities. (11/15/2011)
Stoughton residents speak up for their library. (11/14/2011)
In addition to considering a garbage fee, Fond du Lac council restores a part-time library position. (11/13/2011)
Marathon County's 2012 "No, No, No Budget". (11/9/2011)
Let the aphorisms fly @ the Beloit City Council meeting. (11/9/2011)
2012 Marshfield Public Library budget cut by 2.4%. (11/8/2011)
Part time staff @ Beloit Public Library lose health-care benefits. (11/7/2011)
Privatizing trash pickup would more than plug Sheboygan's $800,000 budget gap. (11/5/2011)
Portage County approves budget. (11/4/2011)
Manitowoc's bond rating woes. (11/4/2011)
Menasha mayor asks library board to cut $45,000 from 2012 budget. (11/2/2011)
Fond du Lac councilman Ruedinger calls $91,000 cut to library "huge" (11/1/2011)
Dimming the streetlights in Clintonvlile. (10/27/2011)
Two Rivers' Lester Public Library looking at a 7% cut in 2012. (10/26/2011)
Boost in taxes for Neenah residents. (10/25/2011)
Apparently, Sheboygan alderman David Van Akkeren doesn't love and value libraries. (10/25/2011)
Crabby Appleton trumps League of Women Voters president in coverage of Outagamie County budget hearing. (10/25/2011)
Black River Falls looks to cut $62,000 from 2012 budget. (10/24/2011)
Shawano does the garbage fee math. (10/19/2011)
Wisconsin Rapids: Proposed McMillan Library 2012 budget cut $63,221. (10/19/2011)
Racine mayor uses Packers analogy in budget address. (10/19/2011)
Manitowoc mayor cuts budget 10%. (10/18/2011)
Mayor proposes 5.1% cut to Fond du Lac Public Library funding. (10/17/2011)
Racine County executive explains the various tax levies. (10/16/2011)
Lake Geneva's 2012 budget dilemma. (10/15/2011)
Rhinelander has a bigger hold to fill due to budget error. (10/15/2011)
City of Ripon 2012 budget update. (10/15/2011)
Shawano city administrator: "Bleeding has stopped for the most part". (10/14/2011)
Retirements? Not worry, sez Sheboygan officials. (10/14/2011)
FEE-fi-fo-fum in Ashland. (10/14/2011)
Waupaca proposes no retiree access to city's health plan. (10/13/2011)
Mayville retains wheel tax. (10/13/2011)
Wheel tax proposed in Janesville. (10/12/2011)
City of Marshfield 2012 budget update. (10/12/2011)
City of Oshkosh 2012 budget update. (10/12/2011)
City of Fond du Lac to eliminate assessor's office. (10/12/2011)
Sheboygan officials no longer have the "headache" of maintenance of effort. (10/11/2011)
City of Waukesha considers annual garbage fee. (10/9/2011)
Brown County proposes cuts to employee benefits. (10/9/2011)
Library salaries focus of debate at Sussex-Lisbon budget discussion. (10/8/2011)
City of Delavan administrator requests all department reduce operating budgets by 8%. (10/8/2011)
Village of Waterford looks at across-the-board cuts. (10/8/2011)
Ripon city administrator on 2012 municipal budget. (10/8/2011)
4% cut to library funding in Appleton mayor's 2012 proposed budget. (10/8/2011)
McMillan library staff reorganization saves Wisconsin Rapids $45,075. (10/5/2011)
Budget reduction forces cuts in hours, positions @ the La Crosse Public Library. (10/3/2011)
Marathon County cuts employee benefits to balance 2012 budget. (10/3/2011)
City of Sheboygan 2012 proposed budget. (10/3/2011)
2012 Brown County Public Library proposed budget. (10/1/2011)
1.2% of Janesville residents get to wag the dog. (9/30/2011)
Beloit Public Library proposed 2012 budget. (9/30/2011)
Shawano City-County Library receives $13,000 cut (3%) in county funding. (9/28/2011)
City of Rhinelander looking at a $200,000 decrease in revenue for 2012. (9/27/2011)
Mayor Barrett's proposed 2012 budget increases hours, expands 3 educational initiatives @ the Milwaukee Public Library. (9/26/2011)
Janesville: Slight decrease in 2012 Hedberg Public Library budget. (9/25/2011)
Fond du Lac faces $1.7 million deficit. (9/23/2011)
McFarland wrestles with 2012 budget.. (9/22/2011)
Beloit to make deep cuts to police, fire departments. (9/22/2011)
Wisconsin Rapids 2012 budget process underway. (9/22/2011)
Oshkosh 2012 budget deficit projected to balloon to as much as $2.3 million. (9/20/2011)
Facing $2.5 million shortfall, La Crosse considers a variety of fees. (9/14/2011)
100 show up at Dodgeville budget hearing. (9/12/2011)
Zero percent increase for Prairie du Sac department budgets. (9/7/2011)
City of Ashland looks at projected shortfall of $329,000 in 2012 budget. (8/26/2011)
Dodgeville city council to hold listening session on 2012 budget. (8/26/2011)
Shawano budget deficit at $504,800. (8/25/2011)
City of Ripon facing $110,000 budget deficit for 2012. (8/25/2011)
Long list of cuts on table for Racine city services. (8/25/2011)
Dodge County Administrator: "Governor Walker does not speak for Dodge County". (8/25/2011)
Longevity bonuses in Portage might become a thing of the past. (8/24/2011)
Declining property values pose a challenge to Columbus budget development. (8/24/2011)
Whitewater council looks at 0% tax levy increase. (8/24/2011)
Janesville residents asked to make tough choices in online budget scorecard. (8/24/2011)
Village of Darien officials ask for input on 2012 budget. (8/24/2011)
City of Marshfield has some wiggle room in its 2012 budget development. (8/24/2011)
Soglin on 2012 Madison budget: "Every service we rely on is vulnerable". (8/23/2011)
With a ballooning budget deficit, Marathon County considers a tax increase. (8/23/2011)
Sheboygan's Strategic Fiscal Planning Committee to determine what city will look like. (8/19/2011)
Brown County Exec looks at same tax levy, impact on services to be determined. (8/18/2011)
City of Shawano wrestles with $128,000 deficit. (8/16/2011)
Possible double whammy for Shawano City-County Library. (8/15/2011)
Portage County Executive looks to "create a bridge to a new design, a way of functioning on less".. (8/15/2011)
Antigo cuts fire, police positions. (8/15/2011)
Adding up the budget numbers in the Fox Valley. (8/14/2011)
Sauk County officials ask for input. (8/12/2011)
Marathon County ranks services to address $500,000 budget shortfall. (8/12/2011)
City of Beloit faces a challenging budget process. (8/8/2011)
Fond du Lac city manager sez Governor's tools not enough to offset cuts. (8/2/2011)
Manitowoc mayor asks department heads for 10% budget cuts. (8/2/2011)
Sophomoric? As in "of or relating to sophomores"?
Excerpt: Later, they followed it up with an offer that if students went the whole game and the Fifth Quarter without yelling it, two random students would win a bowl game package that would include airfare, three nights in a hotel and a ticket to the game.
I think Barry and Bret are going to have to up the ante.
Word origin.
Wise and foolish? That certainly describes elements of my sophomore year in college.
Construction Update: Cedar Rapids Public Library
Cedar Rapids Public Library enters next phase of construction project. (Cedar Rapids Gazette, 11/30/2011)
Excerpt: Before demolition can begin, everything that can be recycled from inside the former TrueNorth building will be removed from the site. Recycling and re-purposing materials earns the library project points towards the goal of platinum certification in the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) rating system. This means everything from doors to toilets to electrical fixtures will be recycled, with the goal to keep 90 percent of the materiel from the former TrueNorth building out of the landfill.
Demolition is anticipated to begin after the first of the year.
The library will host a community celebration in March to mark the beginning of the next phase of construction.
Related posts:
Construction of new library starts December 5. (10/14/2011)
Cedar Rapids PTA Council supports new library with penny drive. (9/19/2011)
Contracts sent out for bid. (8/30/2011)
A "progressive and forward-looking design". (1/11/2011)
FEMA sez it can't support site for new Cedar Rapids library. (9/16/2010)
New library construction will include old bricks. (8/18/2010)
Library circulation plummets at temporary location. (8/6/2010)
Library staff looking at the best design ideas. (5/6/2010)
For sale, old library, needs work. (4/9/2010)
Site Selection Raises Ethics Concerns. (2/9/2010)
Cedar Rapids Library Board to Recommend Site for New Library. (01/26/2010)
FEMA Reconsiders, Decides Library Provides an Essential Service. (12/24/2009)
Hide and Seek: Downtown Cedar Rapids Satellite Branch Library. (11/30/2009)
Early Days of Cedar Rapids Public Library. (11/20/2009)
Wednesday, November 30, 2011
Troy Michigan Mayor: The Public Library is Our Meeting Place
Troy library to be open Saturdays, but not on Fridays, starting Jan. 7. (Detroit News, 11/29/2011)
Excerpt: Russ said Friday is the library's least busy day of the week. The average number of checkouts is 2,251 on Fridays. In comparison, Monday checkouts are 3,276 and 4,095 on Sundays, she said.
Councilwoman Maureen McGinnis said the Friday closure was the best among four options presented.
"I think everyone is happy," she said.
Mayor Daniels, however, was pushing for the approval of a separate proposal that would have reopened the library seven days a week, a move that would have required an annual subsidy of $1.3 million from the city's general fund.
"We don't have a downtown where we can go meet and gather, but we have a library. That's our meeting place," Daniels told council members prior to Monday's vote. "We all need to remember that the budget is a set of assumptions."
Bravo! Thanks for speaking up for your community's library, Mayor.
Related posts:
A bright future for the Troy Public Library. (8/4/2011)
After contentious millage vote, library focuses on providing services. (8/4/2011)
Millage vote wrap-up. (8/3/2011)
It's official. (8/2/2011)
Biggest library story of the day, continued. (8/2/2011)
Very early vote tally. (8/2/2011)
Keep your fingers crossed for Troy Public Library. (8/2/2011)
Kids speak up for the Troy Public Library. (8/1/2011)
Partisan politics emerge in Troy Public Library vote. (8/1/2011)
Residents to vote on library village on August 2. (7/28/2011)
Patrons speak up for their library. (7/24/2011)
Safeguarding American Families: Vote yes to save Troy Library. (7/14/2011)
Troy mayor is upbeat. (7/14/2011)
Oakland Press editorial. (7/14/2011)
Book burning listed on Detroit News events calendar. (7/12/2011)
Troy Chamber supports millage request for library. (7/10/2011)
A half-million dollar library collection up in flames? Not gonna happen. (7/9/2011)
I)s it just me or are things heating up in Troy Michigan? (7/6/2011)
The battle lines are drawn. (6/28/2011)
August 2nd a "This Is It" moment for the Troy Public Library.. (5/17/2011)
Working to keep the library open. (5/10/2011)
Will there be a library after June 30th? (4/20/2011)
Keep the Troy Public Library open: Council members told to 'figure it out'. (4/19/2011)
May Day! May Day! Two Michigan libraries set to close on May 1. (4/17/2011)
Library to close on May 1. (2/23/2011)
Troy Michigan (population: 80,000) still on track to close its library. (2/8/2011)
Voters wave bye-bye to their library. (11/3/2010)
Giving voters more choices than they need. (8/13/2010)
Library threatened with closure, part 2. (5/19/2010)
Library threatened with closure, part 1. (4/25/2010)
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