UPDATE:
The fight over the closure of two under-performing library branches in Dougherty County continues. It escalated at Monday's commission meeting when a commissioner called on the library board chairman to resign.
Commissioner John Hayes asked the Dougherty County library board to address the commissioners on Monday and answer some questions- like could they have avoided the closures of two library branches that were shut down on June 30th?
The Southside and Westtown library branches have been empty for a month. Some Dougherty County Commissioners don't think enough was done to save them from closing.
At Monday morning's commission meeting, things got heated when Commissioner John Hayes called on Guy Craft, the chairman of the library board of trustees, to resign.
"Here is my conclusion, we need to get somebody that knows how to chair that board that can make some decisions that makes sense for the citizens," said Hayes. And you're right, it doesn't make a difference whether it's black, white or what they are. What you should understand is this, there are parts of this community that are at a greater disadvantage than others. That's the central thing that you seem to be missing."
"Let me tell you something, you can get any chairman you want, my thing is voluntary," said Craft. "I could resign right now."
"Well maybe you should," replied Hayes.
Craft says the increasing health care and operating costs with no increase in their budget, left them no choice but to close those two branches.
"We didn't close the libraries based on whether they were in a deprived community, black or white or yellow or red," said Craft. "We closed them based on utilization and the costs of operating the library system."
"If you got an abundance of money, sure everything is easy. There are no decision to make, just pay for it. But we've got to have people at the table who have not only an understanding and the sensitivity to the issues and any implications, but also folks who are smart enough to figure out how to take little and make the most of it. I don't know that that happened in this case," explained Hayes.
Commissioner Hayes says the library board never came before the commission to discuss their financial issues. And that lack of communication is now impacting the children.
"I think it has had a very, very negative impact on those two communities. And we, at least I as a commissioner am not quite satisfied with what I've heard so far," said Commissioner Gloria Gaines.
Hayes says he wasn't satisfied with the answers he received, but hopes everyone involved will dig a little deeper and look at other possibilities that could lead to the re-opening one or both branches.
"Could the closures have been averted, in part or in total? Could we have avoided this altogether? And I don't know the answer to that still," said Hayes.
85% of the library board's budget comes from the county, the other 11% is from the state and the remaining amount is from revenue.
"We're looking into proposal writing, etc. But we have not been successful in that because the federal government cut out their allocations of grants. And so it leaves us operating with whatever we got," said Craft.
Craft says they would need close to $400,000 to re-open the branches.
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At the Dougherty County Commission meeting Monday, the board discussed the closing of two library branches, due to tight budgets.
The Chairman of the Library Board of Trustees and Ashley Moore, Director of the Dougherty County Public Library respond to concerns about the closing of two library branches.
Commissioner Jon Hayes asked for the presentation today to respond to concerns regarding the closing of the Southside and Westtown library branches.
The discussion got heated as Hayes grilled Guy Craft, the chairman of the library board of trustees. Hayes recommended that Craft resign his position.
Commissioner Muarlean Edwards asked questions about how the system could serve the public. She wanted to know more about the budgets, and what led to the branch closings.
Hayes wants the library officials to give more information at the commission meeting so that everyone will have a better understanding of the situation.
The Southside and Westtown library branches closed on June 30th. As WALB reported two weeks ago, board officials say it was an effort to absorb decreases in state and local funding and increases in employee benefits.
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