Financial crisis slams Saugus public library on many levels

SAUGUS-Despite its reputation for being a place of calm, cool, and quiet learning, the Public Library has become a hot bed of political controversy.Library trustees have either been replaced or resigned. The Board of Selectmen claim it’s time for a change but at least one town official thinks it has more to do with payback.When the town was hit with a financial crisis last spring, Town Manager Andrew Bisignani opted to eliminate the library’s budget, along with those of the Youth and Recreation Department and the Senior Center. Selectmen, by virtue of approving the budget, approved the cuts.The Finance Committee then asked Town Meeting members to find a way to keep the library open, which it did, albeit with a very limited budget.In the midst of the budget confusion then, Director Mary Rose Quinn closed the library due to lack of funding and the town immediately lost its certification. Quinn later quit and has since been appointed to the state Board of Library Commissioners, the very board that oversees certification.With the library partially funded and a new director in place, officials assumed the library would settle back into business as usual. Instead it has become a magnet for turmoil.On April 4, selectmen interviewed candidates to fill three of five seats on the board. While selectmen have struggled to find volunteers to serve on a number of other panels, nine stepped forward to take on the library’s problems. Among them was Ellen Palleschi, who was applying to be reappointed. Much to the surprise of her colleagues, selectmen, citing the need for a change, declined to reappoint her.By Wednesday of the last week, Trustees Jean Bartolo, chairman, and Linda Call resigned, leaving Pam Gill as the only remaining experienced trustee. Bartolo declined to comment and Call could not be reached.In Palleschi’s stead, Mary Ellen Picardi, who worked at the library at one time, Mary Beth Spellman and former Finance Committee member Teresa Lyons were named as trustees. One spot remains vacant.Finance Committee Chairman Robert Palleschi however said the whole affair has been upsetting and he believes it is politically motivated.Palleschi said he believes there is some payback going on due to the committee’s stance last year that the library be kept open.Rep. Mark Falzone, who has always taken an interest in the library, has been accused by several town officials of getting involved but he called the notion ridiculous.”I have enough going on without getting involved with that,” Falzone said.”It’s not that I don’t care, I care deeply about the library and I wish the new trustees all success, but I try and stay out of local politics such as that.”Amid the trustee confusion, talk of privatizing the library has also arisen.Selectman Michael Kelleher asked Bisignani to look into the possibility of privatizing the library, taking the responsibility of the building completely out of the town’s hands.Kelleher said he is unsure if it can be done, due to the fact the building was built with a state grant, or how it would be done, but he believes it is worth looking into.Bisignani admitted he is not crazy about the idea, but that it should be studied.”Privatizing a library is a little different than privatizing rubbish collection or roadwork,” he said. “I’m not sure how much precedent there is for this but then again any cost cutting measure in this day and age has to be looked at.”