Village Trustees Approve Plan, 'Mamaroneck Library Will Remain Open'

MAMARONECK, NY — The first step in a plan to lend the Mamaroneck Public Library money to stay afloat in anticipation of future library tax revenue has been unanimously approved by the Village of Mamaroneck Board of Trustees.

"Tonight the Village of Mamaroneck Board of Trustees voted to approve the Tax Anticipation Notes that will enable the Mamaroneck Library to remain to serve our residents," Village of Mamaroneck Mayor Tom Murphy said in a statement released after the vote. "Library Staff met today with Village of Mamaroneck staff and explained cost savings and cuts that the Library will enact that will begin the process of righting their fiscal ship. They are also in the process of working out strict fiscal guidelines that the Village will review and assist the library in implementing."

SEE ALSO:

• 'Financial Irregularities' At The Mamaroneck Library
• Embezzlement Probe: Mamaroneck Library Could Close By June 1

The Village of Mamaroneck Library District was formed in 1991 by an act of the New York State Legislature. The library is independent from the municipal government and was ratified as a publicly funded organization the voters. The library serves 20,000 residents and many thousands more as part of the Westchester Library system.

In a meeting earlier this month, library officials told trustees that a probe into "financial irregularities" found that the Mamaroneck Public Library would be forced to close its doors by June, unless a solution to an unexpected $1.4 million shortfall was found.

In a somber meeting at village hall last week, library leaders told the elected officials that the library is in dire straits, because of a "misappropriation of funds and a number, a many number of questionable expenditures."

"At the end of January, we felt the entire community was betrayed," Mamaroneck Public Library Board President Ellen Freeman told trustees at a special meeting on April 10. "Our finances were built on false information received from our business manager who worked at the library for 27 years."

At the public meeting, Freeman detailed the initial findings of a financial forensic audit and pointed the finger squarely at the library's former business manager.

"Our audited statements and actual fund balances did not match the numbers the board received each month," Freeman said. "Checks for services we thought were cashed were stashed in a drawer. The board built our next year’s budget on bad information. We were told we had a lot more money in our accounts than we actually did."

Last month, Mamaroneck Public Library Business Manager Mary Soto resigned, but the financial forensic audit into the library records is continuing. Library officials said the organization will take "any and all measures necessary to address whatever issues are raised during that investigation."

"The library needs $300,000 before June 1, 2023," Freeman told village officials. "The library will need another $850,000 by September 1, 2023. The library will need another $261,000 by January 1, 2024. The total ask is $1,412,000."

At last week's meeting, the library asked the village for emergency help.

"We are asking the village to help secure a short-term loan so we don’t run out of money for expenditures before June 1 and before we receive our next check from the village," Freeman said.

On Monday, the village offered a life line, but Murphy cautioned that the village isn't offering a blank check.

"No one is happy with what has happened with the financial issues that the Library has encountered, Murphy said. "What is imperative is to keep the library open and doing the vital work that our residents deserve and depend upon. That goal was achieved this evening."

The mayor said that the funding for the library will be provided in three disparate actions, allowing the village an opportunity to review the progress that the library is making before the library receives any more assistance. Murphy said there will be a separate vote by the trustees before each of the three payments is made to the library.

"I am very proud to be on this Board of Trustees that faced this issue head on and made a rather difficult vote to keep the Library open to serve every member of the community," Murphy said. "While other communities are banning books and demonizing Libraries, we as a community are telling the world that we care about information , art and the power of knowledge to enrich and advance society I am especially glad that we are standing up for those for whom books, WiFi, computers and other media are not affordable."