GJ says Mendocino County owes its libraries $1.2 million

Cites illegal payment of librarian salary from library special fund
By Ukiah Daily Journal staff

UPDATED: 06/16/2014 08:12:23 PM PDT0 COMMENTS

Mendocino County may owe its library more than $1.2 million because the county librarian's salary was improperly paid out of the library's budget for 15 years rather than out of the county's general fund, according to a report released recently by the Mendocino County Grand Jury.

The report, titled "The Mendocino County Free Library," recommends that "the Board of Supervisors proceed in accordance with the law in an open and transparent manner," and recruit a permanent county librarian immediately to replace Mindy Kittay, who stepped down abruptly after a March performance review.

According to the report, the grand jury was researching issues with Measure A, a one-eighth-cent sales tax passed three years ago to generate money for the library system, when it found that "historically the general fund has not paid the county librarian's salary and benefits as required by law," according to the report.

Instead, the library's budget paid an estimated $1,280,00 between 1998 and 2013 for the county librarian's salary and benefits, which is against the law, according to the grand jury.

The passage of Measure A had good and bad results, the report says.

"The bad news is that the county administration, hungry for money, immediately started charging the library for indirect support," the grand jury states, some for legitimate reasons and some not.

The county's books say all library expenses are paid from the county's general fund, "when in fact, many of these expenditures are paid by dedicated revenue."

Dedicated revenue, according to the report, includes property tax and sales tax revenue from Measure A. "The county does not properly account for the library's dedicated pro-rata share of the property tax," according to the report, and the library's attempts to protect its money caused "great tension" between the library, county CEO and Board of Supervisors.

"After a closed personnel session March 25, 2014, the county librarian and the library's administrative services manager II were no longer employed," the grand jury report says. "This loss of professional knowledge and financial expertise has added unneeded and unsettling tension to the operation of the library."

Against state law and county code, county CEO Carmel Angelo has assumed more control of the library and its money, according to the report, which also says, "The County Free Library is a special district," although the county "labels and manages the library as if it were a department.

This "tight control" by Angelo "prevented the library from spending its dedicated revenue for the enhancement of its services, especially in information technology," according to the grand jury report.

"The good news is that, because of Measure A, the libraries are open full time, the collection is increasing, new equipment has been added, children's librarians are back and the bookmobile has added new stops," the report says.

http://www.ukiahdailyjournal.com/news/ci_25976198/gj-says-mendocino-county-owes-its-libraries-1