Just a quick note that we didn’t plan an extended hiatus, it just happened that way. It could continue for a few weeks.
On tap next Tuesday is a regular meeting of the Bay St Louis Council. Its getting close to time to adopt the budget and there have been copious amounts of public hearings. The pressure is on from interest groups and hard decisions are being made, on personnel behind closed doors.
Related the Library folks have been squawking about this post. If its true the Hancock County Library Foundation paid for both Gold Sponsorships then I may have to call an Irvin Mayfield. Who you supporting??
Don’t make me come down there. 😉
The Library System Director, Courtney Thomas, and Public Affairs and Development Officer Mary Perkins assured me today that the Library System did not spend public money for $2,400 for 2 tables at $120 a plate for the Chamber of Commerce Awards Gala at Hollywood Casino. They say the Library Foundation made the donation. The story in the Sea Coast Echo listing the System as a Gold Sponsor for that amount was written and submitted by Linda McCarthy of the Hancock Chamber Of Commerce, according to the Echo.
But the question remains, at least to me, “why would the Foundation, whose Mission Statement is to support the Library System, make a donation for an event like that when the money could have been better spent on the Library System which is struggling to make every dollar count.” And providing great services to the community with what $$$$ they have to work with.
And especially when you consider how well off the Chamber is financially. They have a very well compensated Director whose salary is right at 25% of their operating budget. I doubt seriously the Library System can compete with that.
This couldn’t have happened at a worse time for the Library System which is approaching all of the public entities who fund them for sufficient funds to operate this coming fiscal year.
This is why the Echo story caught the eye of so many citizens in the Bay who have been waiting for their tax dollars to be spent on much needed public services, and they read in the paper that the Library System they support has enough money to lend financial support to an event the average citizen would never be able to attend.
Board of Supervisors President, Blaine Lafontaine, announced last Monday evening at the State of the County meeting that the inter-local agreement with the County/Cities/ and Library System will be revisited this year to get everyone on board going forward.
Every penny counts right now, and EVERYONE is going to have to understand that.
Dear Doug & Ms. Noonan:
I read your Blog and Ms. Noonan’s comments about the Library not spending the $2400 on the $120 per plate event at some Casino. Boy does this enrage me! It’s just terrible what (some) utterly selfish grown-ups do these days. Allegedly, some “Historical Foundation” paid for them! WHO CARES WHO PAID FOR THEM (glad the Library didn’t though) the fact of the matter is that the money was WASTED ON SOMETHING STUPID INSTEAD OF EDUCATING THOSE THAT GO TO THE LIBRARY, like children, college students, the general public, etc. SHAME ON THOSE THAT DIDN’T TAKE THE MONEY OUT OF THEIR OWN POCKET TO ATTEND A STUPID DINNER AND CASINO! How do you look at yourself in the mirror? YOU SHOULD BE ASHAMED OF YOURSELF!!
Respectfully,
SHIRLEY HEFLIN
Tampa, FL
I agree with both comments. Now the School System is being shamed. A statement or update from the supervisors to the tax paying public was high jacked by this same chamber. They charged $500 per sponsor and used a public building to do it when the fees to this facility were waved for public use. School tax is one of our biggest taxes and is not optional. How many ways is the chamber going to hit the tax payer before they start getting direct checks from the city, county and state?
The supervisors and school board were duped by the chamber that wants to be seen as quasi governmental and relevant! They inject themselves into everything then when it is over someone owes them something.
Shirley,
Actually it does matter who paid for these $120 plates of food, at least to me. The Library Foundation is watching the taxpayer fund the libraries, while they spend Foundation donations from the public that should be spent in compliance with their Mission Statement, on a wealthy organization that has raised their Director’s salary $10,000 in the last 5 years.
Yes, it matters.
Other than that, I agree wholeheartedly with everything you said.
Stewardship is a serious responsibility.
Let’s get serious.
Dear Ms. Noonan:
Yes maam, I agree. I’m sorry I didn’t mean it that way because it does matter. Sometimes I’m typing so fast and my thoughts are racing and I comment before I think. This morning – because of Tropical Storm Hermine (I guess) – I kept getting kicked off the SLABBED site in the midst of typing my comment and I’d be almost done and have to start over! That happened at least three times.
Again, I apologize because, of course, it matters. 🙂
Shirley Heflin
Tampa, FL
Correction— salary increase was $10,000 in 3 years from 2011-2014!
The Library Foundation should be ashamed of approving such an expenditure when so many other items are needed for the purpose the Library and Foundation were created. Not social events. Learning and ability to help the people in this community and buy get the resources needed for their use education. It the Library or Foundation wanted to reward their dedicated employees, then get a business to sponsor them for tickets. I’m sure they could have found 12 businesses to donate 100 each for their tickets. I would have if approached. Look at the Library wish list and see what items are needed for the amount spent on the Gala.. See what our children and taxpayers will do without again this year because of their extravagance in spending. This board should be held fiscally responsible and accountable to us taxpayers. The director should have graciously turned down the offer so the Library could benefit directly. Maybe the director should have bought their own ticket and quick looking or personal freebies. No one gives me free, that is the problem, entitlement. Pay your own way.
Wow! I agree completely. The chamber becomes very persuasive even aggressive when not given what they want. They will have letters from politicos written to you and suggestively hurt your entity. A lot of members belong to them not for what they get from the membership but the damage they can do to you if you do not pay dues!
The whole family will scorn you. Publicly is there preferred method. They act as if they own BSL or anything that represents BSL. Why, because they said so. Self anointed people. But hey, we could do worse. It could be a group who legitimately wants recognition without contribution in excess of others! LOL.
The only thing that keeps Les out of the spot light is the Chamber. LOL!
They were in bed together for a long time. Now that he is useless to them he is put to the curb…….. No loyalty in either of those camps! Go figure they both just want tax payer dollars for their general fund to spend at their pleasure!
Public awareness is priceless! What does the chamber do that is more beneficial to the funding public than it is to them. They claim expertise, can they qualify what it is they are experts at? There are a lot more questions than answers when u deal with these characters! There primary goal, as far as I can see, is for the employees to get paid. Handsomely at that. Their lowest paid is par to our (public) highest paid. You will only know this if you get access to their elusive tax filing!