New City Library Expenses Must Be Disclosed

Last month almost $5,000 of the public’s money slid down the black hole of unaccountability at the New City Library.

When the chair of the finance committee presented his Financial Report and a Warrant (release of tax funds to the library) for $340,469 to be approved by the Board at the meeting of October 17, 2013, Trustee Victor Berger asked for an explanation of the “miscellaneous expense of $4,923” in the first quarter financials.

No money had been budgeted for “miscellaneous expense.” This same inquiry had been made by Mr. Berger of Business Manager James Collins days before the Board meeting. Mr. Berger was advised by Board President Thomas Ninan that there is a policy that the director, Mr. Freedman, can spend up to $10,000 without prior approval. (Mr. Ninan could not produce a copy of that policy or even confirm that it exists as a written policy.)

Whether or not such a policy exists, there is a significant difference between making a purchase without prior approval and not disclosing what purchases the public is paying for. Trustee Ed Kallen, supporting the position that the expenses need to be accounted for, questioned whether the policy, or the interpretation of it, makes any sense.

Mr. Berger asked who approves the director’s expenses that are charged to the library on a library-issued credit card. Mr. Ninan said that the director’s expenses cannot be questioned.  Mr. Berger said:  “As a member of the community, I am outraged.” We should all be outraged!

“Miscellaneous,” especially when spending thousands of dollars, is not an acceptable disclosure of expenses.

Despite the absence of disclosure, the Warrant and Financial Report was approved by Trustees Ninan, Reiter, Mulrooney, Feliciano, and Poulose (who constitute a majority of the Board).