EPOA Asks Library Board to Reconsider Sunday Closing

The Eastern Property Owners' Association (EPOA) passed a resolution asking the Garden City Public Library board of trustees to reconsider its decision to close the library on Sundays for the foreseeable future.

The library board voted 4-0 (trustee John Schultz was absent) at a special meeting in May to close the library indefinitely on Sundays, a move that could save roughly $29,000 according to newly retired trustee Jack Pascal.

The library is currently closed on Sundays now through mid-October. The library board voted to continue being closed on Sundays beginning in mid-October. 

Library board chair Randy Colahan said the May 6 special meeting may have been the shortest on record but was certainly the most difficult as trustees attempted to close a $234,638 budget gap.

The board also voted to increase overdue fines by .25 cents per day; which could generate $37,000 in revenue, Pascal said; and charge for paper in all the computer rooms for those who need to make copies, a suggestion by this year's Citizens Budget Review Advisory Committee (CBRAC). This last action could generate $3,000 in revenue, Colahan said.

These new policies went into effect June 3.

The EPOA resolution reads as follows: "The Eastern Property Owners’ Association, in light of the recent Board of Library Trustees’ decision to close the Garden City Library on Sundays for the foreseeable future, has passed a resolution asking the Library Board to reconsider its decision."

Newly elected EPOA president Christine Mullaney read the resolution for the record at the June 6 village board meeting.

It is unknown at this time if any of the other three property owners' associations are taking similar actions.