Deficit Prompts Ann Arbor
Director to Forgo Raise
In light of a $1.25-million budget deficit that was discovered earlier this year, Ann Arbor (Mich.) District Library Director Mary Anne Hodel has convinced the library board that she should not receive an annual raise to her current pay of $94,410.
Board President Dick Dougherty said in the May 24 Ann Arbor News that Hodel still retains the board’s confidence, although there was dissatisfaction with the way management has communicated its plans to trustees. Cited as examples were two cost-saving decisions the board did not support: the plan to stop mailing overdue notices in favor of e-mail reminders and the proposal to cut staff. Trustees killed the latter.
Dougherty blamed the deficit on ex-finance director Don Dely, who the library is suing. Both Hodel and the board have publicly admitted responsibility for “getting fooled” by Dely and have since strengthened internal accounting controls, Dougherty explained, adding, “I think what’s important is how Mary Anne responded once she really became aware that something might be awry.”
Posted May 29, 2000.
|
