July 13th 2010 City of Bloomfield Hills City Commission Meeting
The millage of 2010 was the brain child of City of Bloomfield Hills resident Larry Neal a librarian by profession. Neal attended the n meeting as a resident and warned that the Troy Library was closing in July of 2011. Neal however had a plan that would restore full library services for City residents . Mayor Michael McCready invited Larry to come to the next commission meeting (in August) to present his plan. Thus in the course of five minutes Neal had gone from ordinary resident to a future agenda item. It was an auspicious beginning.
July 20th 2010 Bloomfield Township Public Library Board of Trustees Meeting
Seven days later on July 20th Neal met with representatives from the Bloomfield Township Public Library (BPTL) ostensibly to see if the terms of 2009 millage still applied. In the world of libraries Neal was no stranger and his visit created quite a stir. According to minutes of that meeting...Larry Neal presented a proposal to the Board regarding Library service to the city of Bloomfield Hills. The Bloomfield Liaison Committee will review the materials and make their recommendations to the Trustees. A special Board Meeting will be planned for this purpose. After discussion, a motion was made by Lyle Dahlberg, seconded by Pam Williams .
TO DELEGATE REVIEW OF THIS PROPOSAL TO THE LIBRARY BOARD OF TRUSTEES’ BLOOMFIELD LIAISON COMMITTEE AND ACCEPT THEIR RECOMMENDATION.
A vote was taken for approval of the motion. Ayes: Dahlberg, Gerhart, Lindstrom, Williams Nays: None MOTION CARRIED.
After further discussion, a motion was made by Pam Williams, seconded by Grant Gerhart .
TO SUPPORT THE ESTABLISHMENT OF AN INDEPENDENT LIBRARY BOARD FOR THE CITY OF BLOOMFIELD HILLS.
A vote was taken for approval of the motion. Ayes: Dahlberg, Gerhart, Lindstrom, Williams Nays: None MOTION CARRIED.
July 30th 2010 Bloomfield Township Public Library Board of Trustees Special Meeting
UNFINISHED BUSINESS: Service to City of Bloomfield Hills The Trustees reviewed the proposal presented by Larry Neal at the July 20, 2010 regular Board Meeting with regard to Library service to residents of the City of Bloomfield Hills. The Trustees also reviewed the materials presented by the Bloomfield Township/Bloomfield Hills Liaison Committee. The Board opinion is that a per household formula is an acceptable formula and has always been an acceptable formula for a fair and equitable contract between the Library and city residents. After discussion, a motion was made by Lyle Dahlberg, seconded by Grant Gerhart to agree..
THAT OUR LIBRARY HISTORICALLY AND CONTINUES TODAY TO SUPPORT A CONTRACT FOR LIBRARY SERVICE WITH THE CITY OF BLOOMFIELD HILLS AT A PRICE THAT IS FAIR AND EQUITABLE TO THE CITIZENS OF THE TOWNSHIP. IN THE PAST, THE LIBRARY BOARD HAS DETERMINED THAT A FAIR AND EQUITABLE PRICE IS ONE WHERE THE CITY PAYS THE SAME AMOUNT PER HOUSEHOLD AS THE RESIDENTS OF THE TOWNSHIP.
A vote was taken for approval of the motion. Ayes: Cohen, Dahlberg, Gerhart, Lindstrom, Luksik, Williams Nays: None
August 10th 2010 City of Bloomfield Hills Commission Meeting Minutes
119-2010 Presentation on Library Proposal
Mr. Larry Neal, resident on Kingsley Trail, presented the commission with a proposal for a library millage to be on the November 2, 2010 ballot. Mr. Neal submitted petitions with resident signatures supporting a .617 mill library millage question, which would establish a city library board that in turn would contract for library services with an existing library. He indicated he has been in contact with the Bloomfield Township Public Library (BTPL), the library board supports Mr. Neal’s proposal. The following individuals spoke in support of Mr. Neal’s proposal: John King, Dale Dawkins ,Dave Kellett ,Margaret Baxter,Erich Steinmueller, Sharon Jacobs,and Pam Williams – BTPL Board Member
Mayor McCready, Commissioner Zambricki and Commissioner Toohey expressed concern with establishing a separate city library board to negotiate a contract with another library for services.
Commissioner McClure raised the question of timing and if the voters should consider a millage for library service when the commission will be deciding on a possible city millage increase next May.
Commissioner Hardy stated the question should be decided by the residents on a ballot.
City Attorney Hampton expressed concern with a portion of the ballot language and would request Mr. Neal and his attorney work with the city to find mutually agreeable language. He noted August 24, 2010 is the deadline to place a proposal on the November 2
The commission tabled the discussion and will continue the dialogue at a special city commission meeting.
The concerned citizens inferring their library's wishes said no more.
The Baldwin Library, a possible library alternative received a courtesy call from Mr. Neal but it was clear to all that they were second banana.
In the City of Bloomfield Hills it all seemed vaguely familiar but no one knew exactly why. The Pied Piper came to mind. As did Professor Howard Hill the star of the Broadway musical Music Man. There was Trouble in the City. Seniors were restless and wanted to move. The kids were restless and wanted to split. The answer was a library. Yes my friends a library. The kind of Library the great Citizen Kane had in mind when he created Xanadu. The kind of library the great Dewey and his decimal system glorified with a rat tat tat tat and Da Da Duh and 76 exclamation points.
Critics ? There were few. Sanity inspired by two relatively unknown women came late in the campaign.
City of Bloomfield Hills resident Margret Brophy asked "How is that the Township Library Board was negotiating with one City resident (Larry Neal) instead of our city commission ? What has been promised by either party ? Is anything in writing ?
Bloomfield Township resident Linda Utley wrote , "So City residents think that if they vote "yes"on the library millage they will have automatic access to to a local library ? Whoever sold them that story ? The only thing they will get...is a new layer of government ....which will have a pocket full of tax payer money to hopefully swing a deal with the Township Library or Baldwin. I hope the Township Library Board wouldn't throw the Township residents under a bus by agreeing to contact with the City for a third of the current millage rate they access from township residents."
On election day one voter City voter, clearly irked said, "Yeah like I am going to vote to give, a yet to be created board, $500,000 a year for six years so they can figure out what do with the money."
The Millage failed by a vote of 60% No to 40% Yes. The Bloomfield Hills City Commission became again as it always was the city's "library board. " They negotiated with both Baldwin and the Township at no charge to the tax payer. Clearly the Township wasn't interested. It seems they had been listening to their citizens and the United Home Owners Association. As in 2003 "paying the same" did not mean the same to both communities. The new negotiating amount the Township Library would require was as in 2003 double the amount the voters had just rejected.
So the city commission went to the Baldwin Library and in six months struck a deal which brings us to where we are today. Even Mr. Neal who has assisted the commission as a "guest expert" is in awe or so he says.
Mayor McCready, Commissioner Zambricki and Commissioner Toohey expressed concern with establishing a separate city library board to negotiate a contract with another library for services.
Commissioner McClure raised the question of timing and if the voters should consider a millage for library service when the commission will be deciding on a possible city millage increase next May.
Commissioner Hardy stated the question should be decided by the residents on a ballot.
City Attorney Hampton expressed concern with a portion of the ballot language and would request Mr. Neal and his attorney work with the city to find mutually agreeable language. He noted August 24, 2010 is the deadline to place a proposal on the November 2
The commission tabled the discussion and will continue the dialogue at a special city commission meeting.
August 17th 2010 Bloomfield Township Public Library Board of Trustees Meeting
At the Township Library meeting of August 17th residents and members of the United Home Owners Association of Bloomfield Township were having some concerns. The minutes of the meeting state...
At the Township Library meeting of August 17th residents and members of the United Home Owners Association of Bloomfield Township were having some concerns. The minutes of the meeting state...
Linda Ulrey, (UHOA officer ) R. Moxley (UHOA President) and Sue Bernstein shared their concerns about Larry Neal’s proposal for Library services for residents of the City of Bloomfield Hills. Linda Ulrey and Sue Bernstein stated that they wanted the Library Board to make sure city residents paid exactly the same millage as Township taxpayers. R. Moxley asked that the Library Board continue to do its due diligence. Peggy thanked them for their interest and stated that no actual proposal has been received, so this is not an agenda item.
Problems
As the above red remarks indicate problems were developing. Mr. Neal's plan was not fully accepted by the City of Bloomfield Hills Commission or the residents of the Township's United Home Owners Association. Apparently Neal never submitted an actual proposal to the Township for approval of their library board or their citizens. Instead the "proposal" he submitted was ballot language for the residents of the City of Bloomfield Hills to vote on. It bore a remarkable resemblence to the 2009 Millage the residents had rejected the prevous year. In 2009, $500,000 for three years and witha guarenteeed membership in the township library was requested. In 2010 it was $480,000 for six years to fund a library board which would then contract with services with either The Township Library or Baldwin.The campaign
In the township the library was content to allow Larry Neal to do his thing without course corrections. As far as anybody could tell which was never very far everything was fine with them.The concerned citizens inferring their library's wishes said no more.
The Baldwin Library, a possible library alternative received a courtesy call from Mr. Neal but it was clear to all that they were second banana.
In the City of Bloomfield Hills it all seemed vaguely familiar but no one knew exactly why. The Pied Piper came to mind. As did Professor Howard Hill the star of the Broadway musical Music Man. There was Trouble in the City. Seniors were restless and wanted to move. The kids were restless and wanted to split. The answer was a library. Yes my friends a library. The kind of Library the great Citizen Kane had in mind when he created Xanadu. The kind of library the great Dewey and his decimal system glorified with a rat tat tat tat and Da Da Duh and 76 exclamation points.
Critics ? There were few. Sanity inspired by two relatively unknown women came late in the campaign.
City of Bloomfield Hills resident Margret Brophy asked "How is that the Township Library Board was negotiating with one City resident (Larry Neal) instead of our city commission ? What has been promised by either party ? Is anything in writing ?
Bloomfield Township resident Linda Utley wrote , "So City residents think that if they vote "yes"on the library millage they will have automatic access to to a local library ? Whoever sold them that story ? The only thing they will get...is a new layer of government ....which will have a pocket full of tax payer money to hopefully swing a deal with the Township Library or Baldwin. I hope the Township Library Board wouldn't throw the Township residents under a bus by agreeing to contact with the City for a third of the current millage rate they access from township residents."
On election day one voter City voter, clearly irked said, "Yeah like I am going to vote to give, a yet to be created board, $500,000 a year for six years so they can figure out what do with the money."
The Millage failed by a vote of 60% No to 40% Yes. The Bloomfield Hills City Commission became again as it always was the city's "library board. " They negotiated with both Baldwin and the Township at no charge to the tax payer. Clearly the Township wasn't interested. It seems they had been listening to their citizens and the United Home Owners Association. As in 2003 "paying the same" did not mean the same to both communities. The new negotiating amount the Township Library would require was as in 2003 double the amount the voters had just rejected.
So the city commission went to the Baldwin Library and in six months struck a deal which brings us to where we are today. Even Mr. Neal who has assisted the commission as a "guest expert" is in awe or so he says.
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