Save our library programs
The Issue
Fort Erie Public Library is governed by a board made up of volunteers and one town councillor. There is no oversight authority; the board answers to no one! FEPL is funded by the Town and paid for by the taxpayers of Fort Erie. At a time when other libraries are evolving into community hubs and offering increased services to its residents, FEPL has inexplicably decided to cut its programs and services to our community. Children and seniors, already impacted by Covid, are again being made to suffer. And why? Because of mismanagement by the board.
Fort Erie Public Library's board has failed to comply with the legal requirements of Ontario's Public Library Act (e.g. it has not shared meeting minutes with the public since April), and hasn't followed PLA procedures (it's been holding closed sessions and failing to state via resolutions the general nature of the matters to be considered at the closed sessions). The board has failed to provide its governance documents for public scrutiny following a request made on September 27, under the Municipal Freedom of Information and Privacy Act. At least five grievances have been recently filed by employees against the Library and/ or the board. And there are also at least five humans rights complaints that are currently being investigated.
Defending the grievances and human rights complaints will be costly. The budget is not overspent, as claimed by the CEO. (FEPL's own financial statements contradict The CEO's claims) The program cuts are necessary to pay the impending costs of defending the grievances and human rights violations. The library has overspent it's hiring budget by 5000% so far this year, most of it spent on the new CEO.
Through cuts to community programming we, the people of Fort Erie, are being forced to pay for the library board's lack of governance and management skills.
We demand the library board be immediately dissolved and replaced by a new board that will prioritize the needs of our community and will protect our human rights! Save our programs!
506
The Issue
Fort Erie Public Library is governed by a board made up of volunteers and one town councillor. There is no oversight authority; the board answers to no one! FEPL is funded by the Town and paid for by the taxpayers of Fort Erie. At a time when other libraries are evolving into community hubs and offering increased services to its residents, FEPL has inexplicably decided to cut its programs and services to our community. Children and seniors, already impacted by Covid, are again being made to suffer. And why? Because of mismanagement by the board.
Fort Erie Public Library's board has failed to comply with the legal requirements of Ontario's Public Library Act (e.g. it has not shared meeting minutes with the public since April), and hasn't followed PLA procedures (it's been holding closed sessions and failing to state via resolutions the general nature of the matters to be considered at the closed sessions). The board has failed to provide its governance documents for public scrutiny following a request made on September 27, under the Municipal Freedom of Information and Privacy Act. At least five grievances have been recently filed by employees against the Library and/ or the board. And there are also at least five humans rights complaints that are currently being investigated.
Defending the grievances and human rights complaints will be costly. The budget is not overspent, as claimed by the CEO. (FEPL's own financial statements contradict The CEO's claims) The program cuts are necessary to pay the impending costs of defending the grievances and human rights violations. The library has overspent it's hiring budget by 5000% so far this year, most of it spent on the new CEO.
Through cuts to community programming we, the people of Fort Erie, are being forced to pay for the library board's lack of governance and management skills.
We demand the library board be immediately dissolved and replaced by a new board that will prioritize the needs of our community and will protect our human rights! Save our programs!
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Petition created on October 26, 2023