Ten days after the Regina, Saskatchewan, city council asked them to reconsider their decision to close three branches, the Dunlop Art Gallery, and the Prairie History Room, Regina Public Library trustees agreed to dip into reserves to keep the facilities open through the end of the year. Regina Mayor Pat Fiacco, who sits on the board, made the motion to draw upon the reserve funds, CBC News reported April 23.
However, the decision prompted the resignation of two trustees. One of them was deputy chair Dean Ast, who called tabling the library’s earlier budget an “extremely short-sighted decision” that covers up “the need to deal with the financial problem.” Gordon Blackmore said his reason for resigning was the board’s lack of independence from city council.
“We’re in serious trouble,” board chair Joyce Vandall, who voted against the motion, told CBC News. “We didn’t dream this up. I hope we have a strong library system after this, and get out there and fundraise. Because if you want this library, we have to put our money where our mouth is.”
The board is scheduled to present city council with a new budget April 26.
The library’s Friends group, which lost its appeal April 19 to force the city to proceed with a referendum to keep the services open, has begun to lobby the provincial government to amend library laws to make trustees elected officials, rather than appointed by city council, CBC News reported April 21.
Posted April 23, 2004.