Bisignani: Privatizing library a dead issue

SAUGUS – Town Manager Andrew Bisignani said the idea of privatizing the library might have been worth exploring, but it’s now a dead issue.The news likely comes as a comfort to Interim Library Director Ewa Jankowska, who said she would never let it happen on her watch anyway.Selectman Michael Kelleher had asked Bisignani to look into the idea of privatizing the town’s Public Library. At the time, he said he wasn’t sure it would even be feasible, but he thought it was worth the exploration as a possible cost cutting measure for the town.Bisignani confirmed this week that privatization is not feasible.”It’s not going anywhere,” he said.Aside from not being practical, Bisignani said privatizing the library would also create union issues and it would also still cost the town money.”We’d still have to fund it, we just wouldn’t run it,” he said.Bisignani said the town would have to fund the library because, unless it charged for services, a private entity would not make money with it. But if it was private, employees would work for the company, not the town, which means health, retirement and employee status benefits would all go by the wayside.Jankowska said not only is the idea not practical, it isn’t legal. She pulled out a memo from Town Counsel John Vasapolli dated April 3, 2007, which stated that the Board of Trustees has custody and management of the library and reading rooms, regardless of if the library budget has been zeroed out.Jankowska said not only is the board against the idea of privatization, she has heard that the state Board of Library Commissioners has said it would never allow it to happen in Massachusetts.”Mike originally brought the issue up for discussion,” Bisignani said. “We did research and we’re not in favor it. It started a discussion and that’s a good thing but it’s a non-issue now.”