Will we get details at the City Council meeting on Tuesday, April 15 ?
Read the April 2nd minutes from the Library Board, page 10, in the posted City Council packet. https://www.ely.mn.us/council-meetings
If the Library Director Rachel Heinrich doesn’t explain the cuts in more detail, the Mayor Heidi Omerza should, as she attended the meeting. Let’s see where they both stand on the Trump/Musk cuts.
Will anyone explain the Trump / Elon Musk cuts to the Public Library?
Hopefully at the Tuesday, April 15th City Council meeting, Council Members will ask for more specific details including dollar and % amounts of cutbacks due to recent federal cuts. Are these DEI (Diversity Equity and Inclusion) cuts? Has our Library been wasting money? Where’s the proof? When did Congress vote to cut funding for public libraries?
There will also be cuts in summer programming.
The Library Board minutes do not include the documents Library Director Rachel Heinrich provided the Board. This is a systemic transparency problem with Ely City government: agendas WITH documents for all city meetings are NOT posted online, nor are the actual meetings available 24/7/365 free of charge to residents and non-residents. (Yes, also non-residents, because they can serve on Ely City government commissions, boards and committees.)
Will Council and Mayor protest cuts or just roll over and play dead?
City Council and the Mayor are supposedly nonpartisan. Maybe they voted for Trump and Congressman Pete Stauber, or not. Maybe they support Elon Musk’s chainsaw approach to funding, or not. This is the opportunity for the Mayor and Council to stand up for Ely and the surrounding community. The majority on City Council and Mayor actively opposed supporting clean water, approving a letter to oppose WICOLA’s request for support. Writing an opposing letter while saying at the same time that these WICOLA waters are not inside Ely’s boundaries. Our Ely Public Library is located inside the City limits. What’s the excuse now? What’s in the best interests of the community? Be nonpartisan on Tuesday.
BTW: Fall Lake Township increased its contribution. Was this in response to federal cuts and/or an acknowledgment of how important public libraries are to the community? The April 2nd minutes indicate this was advocacy from Fall Lake residents. What about the rest of us??
Will anyone from the public stand up Tuesday to complain about Trump/Musk cuts to libraries and/or support the outstanding community services our Public Library provides?
Whether you Request to Appear (Item #7 on agenda) or at the end of meeting (Item #14 on agenda), consider submitting your comments in writing, so your points are printed in the record in more detail. You still might have a chance to speak at the Request to Appear time slot and have your attachments included in the last minute Council additions. Email or submit in person today if possible. Otherwise, you can still sign up to speak during the Open Forum when you walk into Council Chambers this Tuesday evening.
Will the Mayor or City Administrator/Clerk Harold Langowski provide specifics about OTHER expected federal cuts in Ely and surrounding areas that will impact Ely’s economy, infrastructure and safety?
Obviously, commissioners/board members are talking AND have documents. Wouldn’t you think City Hall, the Council, and the Mayor would also be talking AND have documents that they could share with the public ?
Ely Library – federal cuts
Will we get details at the City Council meeting on Tuesday, April 15 ?
Read the April 2nd minutes from the Library Board, page 10, in the posted City Council packet. https://www.ely.mn.us/council-meetings
If the Library Director Rachel Heinrich doesn’t explain the cuts in more detail, the Mayor Heidi Omerza should, as she attended the meeting. Let’s see where they both stand on the Trump/Musk cuts.
Will anyone explain the Trump / Elon Musk cuts to the Public Library?
Hopefully at the Tuesday, April 15th City Council meeting, Council Members will ask for more specific details including dollar and % amounts of cutbacks due to recent federal cuts. Are these DEI (Diversity Equity and Inclusion) cuts? Has our Library been wasting money? Where’s the proof? When did Congress vote to cut funding for public libraries?
There will also be cuts in summer programming.
The Library Board minutes do not include the documents Library Director Rachel Heinrich provided the Board. This is a systemic transparency problem with Ely City government: agendas WITH documents for all city meetings are NOT posted online, nor are the actual meetings available 24/7/365 free of charge to residents and non-residents. (Yes, also non-residents, because they can serve on Ely City government commissions, boards and committees.)
Will Council and Mayor protest cuts or just roll over and play dead?
City Council and the Mayor are supposedly nonpartisan. Maybe they voted for Trump and Congressman Pete Stauber, or not. Maybe they support Elon Musk’s chainsaw approach to funding, or not. This is the opportunity for the Mayor and Council to stand up for Ely and the surrounding community. The majority on City Council and Mayor actively opposed supporting clean water, approving a letter to oppose WICOLA’s request for support. Writing an opposing letter while saying at the same time that these WICOLA waters are not inside Ely’s boundaries. Our Ely Public Library is located inside the City limits. What’s the excuse now? What’s in the best interests of the community? Be nonpartisan on Tuesday.
BTW: Fall Lake Township increased its contribution. Was this in response to federal cuts and/or an acknowledgment of how important public libraries are to the community? The April 2nd minutes indicate this was advocacy from Fall Lake residents. What about the rest of us??
Will anyone from the public stand up Tuesday to complain about Trump/Musk cuts to libraries and/or support the outstanding community services our Public Library provides?
Whether you Request to Appear (Item #7 on agenda) or at the end of meeting (Item #14 on agenda), consider submitting your comments in writing, so your points are printed in the record in more detail. You still might have a chance to speak at the Request to Appear time slot and have your attachments included in the last minute Council additions. Email or submit in person today if possible. Otherwise, you can still sign up to speak during the Open Forum when you walk into Council Chambers this Tuesday evening.
Will the Mayor or City Administrator/Clerk Harold Langowski provide specifics about OTHER expected federal cuts in Ely and surrounding areas that will impact Ely’s economy, infrastructure and safety?
Obviously, commissioners/board members are talking AND have documents. Wouldn’t you think City Hall, the Council, and the Mayor would also be talking AND have documents that they could share with the public ?