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Alderman & City Politics
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Example of a dumb outcome

Here's an example of a dumb outcome:

Override fails. Library has to pass on receiving the $7.9 million grant that they were already awarded because they are no longer accredited. We then have to do an override next year anyway (for all the dozens of reasons that are quite clear if you look at the list of services that disappear when the city has no money). https://www.cityofmelrose.org/budget-information-resources

Voting yes to avoid dumb outcomes.


Re: Example of a dumb outcome

The override is just for the schools. Great divide us even more, you money hungry people.

Re: Example of a dumb outcome

Just for the schools? Um. No.

If you're voting no, that's fine, that's your choice, but please don't vote if you haven't paid attention to what's being affected.

This affects lots of departments, including police, fire, dpw.

To continue with this particular example, here's what the library expects:
* Eliminate Page program (11 part-time pages, mostly high school students)
* Close Library on Sundays Year Round
* Cut Programs budget by 70%
* Cut Dues, Memberships, and Services Budget by 66% (includes museum passes, subscriptions to periodicals and databases, new book purchases)
* Suspend Professional Development Budget
* Potential loss of State Certification**

**Impacts of loss of State Certification:
* Melrose residents will lose all inter-library loan privileges.
* Melrose residents will lose the ability to check material out from other libraries in person.
* Melrose residents will lose the ability to attend programs at some neighboring libraries
* Melrose will lose over $30,000 each year in State Aid funding
* The library will not be eligible to apply for grants under the Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) program.
* Melrose will lose the $7.9 million Public Library Construction Program grant.

Re: Example of a dumb outcome

"* Melrose will lose the $7.9 million Public Library Construction Program grant."

Great. Melrose gets 7.9 million, but the citizens are still on the hook for what? another 9 or so million?? This is a "want" issue, not a "needs" issue.
If the building was properly maintained, some of the issues that are there wouldn't be an issue. NONE of our public buildings are maintained the way they should be. And don't say it's because the city is understaffed, they're most likely being managed improperly.