This is just a quick note to let you know our feelings on Tim Kambitsch's "Budget of Sustainability." Although we've not done huge amounts of analysis, the document produced by Mr. Kambitsch is not a surprise, nor is it particularly alarming news. Despite this, we've been fielding questions about how many people we think will lose their jobs, and other similar concerns.
As it stands now, Mr. Kambitsch has released a plan that calls for reducing staffing by between 12 and 13 Full Time Equivalents (FTEs) over the next year or so. The current plan, as we understand it, calls for achieving these cuts through natural attrition, and not by job cuts. This part of the Library's plan seems to be very much what we would have expected, and is not necessarily bad news.
That said, we do have a few concerns:
We are dismayed with the Library's short-sighted management decisions with respect to retirement incentives. We feel that Tim's focus on reducing FTEs should actually be a focus on reducing labor costs. By offering retirement incentives, the Library could thin the ranks of its highest-paid individuals, while offering those who participate with the benefit of getting out early. It's a win/win scenario, and looks like a no-brainer. We're puzzled and dismayed by the Library's continued resistance to this win/win scenario.
We have no idea what next year's state budget will do to Ohio libraries. Current estimates are that next year's budget (for the whole state) will be between $5 billion and $8 billion short. This may mean more cuts to library funding. This is the current biggest threat to our Library system, as we see it now.
We've not seen any effort on the part of the Administration to reduce management costs. A reduced workforce should require less management overhead. But right now, it looks like union (and non-union) laborers are the only ones feeling the pointy end of the spear. When managers leave, they hire new ones. When we leave, they leave a hole in the ranks. Why not shift existing managers and assistant managers to cover the gaps? (This is an area we'll continue to monitor.)
Bottom line: Don't worry too much about Tim and Mark playing the press. They've got to let the public know that there's still a tight budget, even after the levy. Only after their press statements will they be able to make the reductions in service that will allow us to continue operating under the naturally-attritted work force.
Comments (2)
