Curiouser and curiouser

Three members of the Committee to Save Schaberg went to the last library board meeting.   A quick fashion note,  even Library Board members love our Carolina Blue Save Schaberg Library shirts, so order yours at weloveschaberg@yahoo.com. 

When we arrived we noticed a new person sitting at the table with the board members, in this blog we will call her Susie Citizen.

Why was this interesting?  Well, a bit of history.  Ms. Citizen had asked to join the Committee to Save Schaberg and we welcomed her to our meetings. (as we welcome anyone who wants to help save this wonderful neighborhood asset).

Ms. Citizen remained on the committee for a few months, during which time former Library Trustee (and Committee to Save Schaberg co-founder) Sharon Levin received a phone call from a person trying to persuade her and our committee to take our efforts for Schaberg behind the scenes.  You can read more here:

http://saveschaberg.blogspot.com/2011_04_01_archive.html

After having that conversation and thinking about it more, Ms. Levin realized it was VERY similar to an earlier conversation she’d had with a former library board member, who also tried to convince her to have an off-line meeting with Barbara Pierce.  So, similar in fact, that she e-mailed the former board member and asked him if he might be a member of Citizens for Redwood City  (the group that the other person claimed to represent)  http://citizensforredwoodcity.org/CRC/Welcome.html  he confirmed that he was.  He also mentioned that Susie Citizen was their secretary.  Please note that Jerry Pierce, husband of Councilwoman Barbara Pierce is the head of this group.

When Ms. Levin sent this information out to our Committee and asked Susie what was up, she abruptly resigned.  One does not have to be an Oliver Stone fan here to feel that something is not quite right.

What is going on here?  Why is the effort to save a library such a cloak and dagger operation?  In theory, we should all be on the same side.  Who in the world is on the side of CLOSING a neighborhood treasure?  Why is so much being hidden? 

The Need to ask WHY

WHY?

This is really the question we should be asking.

WHY are Redwood City citizens fighting AGAINST the Redwood City city council and the Library Director? Why are they not fighting WITH us to KEEP Schaberg?

WHY are they holding to an unwritten, non-binding policy of not using one time funds for operational costs? If the bequest money were $2500.00, that's one thing, but it's $252,000 (or $225,000 - again the Library Director has given both figures), enough to keep Schaberg Library open for the next two and a half years at its current hours.

WHY when a councilmember was asked how a Library Director could just 'discover' a quarter of a million dollar bequest did she dismiss that as 'normal' in government?

WHY are they insisting they need the money for programs at the other three libraries, when the offer to volunteer to staff or find staff for these programs has been made again and again and again?

WHY does the Mayor refuse to discuss this matter with the electorate?

WHY in an economic time when people turn to libraries, would the option of shutting one down be a better option than fewer storytimes?

WHY oh WHY are they NOT on the side of a library?

WHY?