History shows Peoria library expansion needs strict oversight

Kudos to Peoria blogger C.J. Summers for his post about the shenanigans at the Peoria Library Board. For those who didn't read the post, Monday's Word on the Street kudos-worthy-column in the Journal Star stated:

…At-large Councilman Gary Sandberg, the library’s new council liaison, discovered that the library board’s building committee voted May 15 to recommend that the full board hire PSA Dewberry to program what will go in the new and expanded facilities. That vote was a full two weeks before local architects were asked to submit their programming proposals. Further, they were only given a one-day turnaround.

The previous council liaison was John Morris, and Sandberg was appointed in his place when Morris retired. While I like John Morris personally (a more affable man never lived), he was way too much of a cheerleader and not enough of a fiscal hawk. Sandberg, however, wants every expenditure explained, and sometimes he drives city staff to fits. And that's exactly what the taxpayers need now, considering the amount of money being spent, as well as because of the severe problems that plague the last library expansion project ran by the man in charge of this one.

In April, voters overwhelmingly voted in favor of a non-binding resolution in favor of spending $35 million to expand the libraries. One week later, the Peoria City Council directed city staff -- at the city manager's request -- to develop a proposal to make that happen, which almost certainly means a plan to levy bonds that would be paid by an increase in property taxes.

Leading the charge for passage of the advisory referendum was Peoria Public Library Director Edward Szynaka, who was appointed to fill the post in August 2006. He had been fired from his previous job.

Voters might have liked to have known about Ed Szynaka's record from Indiana, where he was in charge (in the beginning, at least) of a similar expansion project for the Marion Count Library in Indianapolis. One of the first things he started work on here in Peoria was getting the money to expand the library facilities, considered by many -- especially the Peoria Journal Star -- to be inadequate.

When asked, Peoria library board members said that they were aware of Szynaka's history, but considered it just a case of politics being played the Republicans on the library board (Szynaka apparently is a Democrat). It seems to be a bit mroe complicated than that, and it doesn't explain other questions.

On it's Website, the Indianapolis Star still runs a multi-part series detailing how a modest renovation and parking project mushroomed into a $100 million project that's still being plagued with cost overruns and questionable spending, including more than $60,000 on Szynaka's credit card that were never explained. Most of that library's building snafus are generally being blamed on contractors and other personnel hired by the board while Szynaka was still director.

From the Website of the Indiana Attorney General's office:

INDIANAPOLIS, IN – Nearly $60,000 has been returned to the Indianapolis/Marion County Public Library’s operating budget since a state audit revealed misappropriated public funds. A final check of $22,446.00 has been received to cover the audit charges against former Chief Executive Officer Ed Szynaka for questionable purchases and charges on the Library credit card.

“We have worked with all parties involved to recover the thousands of dollars inappropriately depleted from the public library’s operating budget without the added expenditure of litigation for taxpayers,” Attorney General Steve Carter said.

A State Board of Accounts (SBOA) audit revealed $21,372 in unallowable credit card charges by staff and officers paid for from the library’s operating budget. Former CEO Ed Szynaka was charged individually with making inappropriate charges of $23,776. The SBOA also charged the library for audit costs and referred the case to the attorney general’s office for collection.

“Collection efforts have included settlement negotiations and fund transfers to make the operating budget whole again,” Carter added. “The final check completes this civil matter.”

And I remain unconvinced the expansion is needed. And I'm concerned that there hasn't been subtle manipulation of circumstances to make the public believe conditions are worse than they really are.

I recently took a walk through the Main Branch at the corner of Monroe and Main streets. In addition to banks of computers, the biggest change I noticed is on the second floor. Apparently, they've decided to combine the circulation/reference desks from the Arts and Music section and the nearby Business, Science and Technology section. The new, single desk is located in the hallway that joins the two sections, which means unless there isn't a library workers actually in either section, there's no one keeping an eye on what patrons are doing. Someone could be tearing pages out of books, or wandering around unable to find what they are seeking.

One of the complaints that drove the expansion furor is that there's not enough room to put things. That's not true at the Lakeview Branch, where top and bottom shelves are empty, supposedly because they aren't handicapped accessible. The downtown library has no problems at all putting books on the top and bottom shelves, as there isn't a single room I saw the other day in which all shelves are not used. Even the children's section uses the top shelves.

If there are library employees here in Peoria who are upset at these changes, or with Szynaka's management style, they are well-advised to keep their opinions to themselves. Back in Indiana, he was able to talk his board into firing a long-time library employee because she was critical of the changes he made there (similar to the changes he wants to make here in Peoria). Minutes of that library board meeting are available in PDF format.

Cross posted to Peoria Pundits.