Ottawa Wins Budget Fight; Ten Branches Won’t Close
Lynn Blumenstein -- Library Journal, 12/11/2007
Ottawa Public Library (OPL), ON, supporters have succeeded in their efforts to prevent a city plan to close ten branches, lay off staff, and slash the materials budget in order to save $6 million CDN. On December 5, Mayor Larry O’Brien and a majority of city councilors issued a public Statement of Intent signifying that Ottawa City Council “will not choose to reduce or eliminate services to the most vulnerable members in this community”—including libraries.The OPL Board earlier refused to approve the budget cuts; they instead came up with a plan to save $2 million by trimming administrative costs and delaying spending on a new branch. The final budget formula hasn’t been worked out. Some city councilors supported the board plan and have come up with plans to raise taxes, even though O’Brien promised to freeze taxes for six years during his 2006 election campaign.
The Statement of Intent was issued after members of the Friends of OPL addressed the Ottawa City Council Committee of the Whole on December 3, calling for “an end to the pattern of budget cuts that have been so damaging to the city’s library system.” Friends president Lori Nash testified, “The main branch is actually crumbling around us. You can see the library floor sinking.” Nash’s ongoing message to not cut library services had been backed by massive community support in the form of SOS ("Save Our Services") postcards, emails and letters to city councilors; petitions; newspaper coverage and letters to the editor; and residents attending council meetings in SOS campaign t-shirts and buttons.
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