Wednesday, October 14, 2009

Another library system going down the crapper.

The Nevada County [in CA] Board of Supervisors voted Tuesday to further explore a proposal that could lead to a quasi-privatization of the county's public libraries.

County Librarian Mary Ann Trygg had proposed more than $400,000 in cuts over the next two years, but supervisors balked at that proposal because it would essentially result in a significant reduction in services.
Nevada County, you are going to lose library services.How can't you see that? You don't have any money. Right now, your choice is to keep your existing professional librarians at their existing pay and benefits or contract out with a private company and get those people fired. The private company will cut hours, cut pay, cut staff. That is how they save money.

Sure, some will get rehired, but at much lower salaries with fewer benefits. The good librarians will leave for jobs where their skills are valued, and you will be left with a few clerks.

Why can't you just cut out the middleman and cut hours now so you can keep your professional librarians?

[here comes the made-up stuff]
County Executive Officer Rick Haffey warned supervisors that similar public-private partnerships might also be worth pursuing in other departments as the county continues to address shortfalls in both sales and property tax revenues.
A survey of recently shuttered Nevada County businesses lists Mistress Donuts, Barbelles Gym, Nevada Rooter as potential ventures for combining out-of-work residents with current short-funded agencies. Haffney continued, "I think adding one or two of the former employees of Mistress Donuts to, say, the police force could be a nice cost-saving mix. You know, cops, donuts. It could work."

Mistress Sharon, the former donut shop worker, said she was familiar with "lots of cops" and thought she had skills the police department could use. "I could definitely get into cracking heads," she added, smacking her patent-leather gloved hand against her muscular thigh.

Employees from Barbelles Gym are considering combining with the County's Fire and Rescue department. And the Nevada Rooter workers, familiar with endless piles of crap, could take a couple of the open seats on the County Board of Supervisors.