Wheaton council supports library changes

Call it lukewarm, but it’s support nonetheless.

Wheaton City Council members said Friday they respect Mayor Mike Gresk’s authority to oust two Wheaton Public Library trustees in the wake of last summer’s flap over the library’s budget.

However, some also said losing the experience on the board — 28 years among the two trustees sent packing and a third who withdrew his name from consideration — could be a detriment to the Wheaton Public Library.

“I think they should have been reappointed,” Councilwoman Jeanne Ives said. “We still hold control because we hold the purse strings, that’s the bottom line. Outside of that, I’m not an expert at running the library.”

Ives said last summer’s dispute, which pitted the library against the city council over library closures and budget cuts, could have been avoided had the council laid out specific conditions for the library to meet.

“The whole thing could have been avoided if communication would have been better,” she said. “(But) it’s Mike’s position. It’s his decision to make.”

Last summer, the city council reduced the library’s budget from $3.4 million to $3.1 million. To combat those cuts, the library board pushed a plan that would have closed the facility on Fridays.

After the city council balked and threatened to legislate library hours and reduce trustee terms from three years to two, the library board conceded.

Gresk said his decision not to reappoint board President Colleen McLaughlin and Carol Honeywell could be traced to the confrontational nature of those discussions.

Councilman Todd Scalzo acknowledged there is some leeway given the library but disagreed with McLaughlin’s position that the library is an independent board.

“You do have some autonomy given to the library,” he said. “But it’s undisputed that the city has budgetary and appointment powers over the library. We exercised those powers as we saw fit.”

Councilman Tom Mouhelis said the library must answer to the city council.

“It’s at the mayor’s discretion,” Mouhelis said. “They are not a separate taxing body. Am I supportive of the library? Look at my key chain, there is my library card right there. But it remains they are a part of the city and we have a responsibility fiscally to ensure the city works effectively.”

Meanwhile, Gresk said he’s seeking nominations for the library positions much like he does for other boards and commissions under the city’s umbrella. He said an ideal nominee would have some business background.

Scalzo said it’s time to move forward now that the city council has restored $200,000 of the $300,000 in library cuts.

“We thought it would be a temporary bump in the road and it turned out to be just that,” he said. “I thank all of them for their service and appreciate them volunteering. Their experience will be missed but it’s a mayoral appointment.”