sheboygan county taxpayers alliance

ST. NICHOLAS OFFICE CENTER, ROOM 206. 901 SUPERIOR AVE, SHEBOYGAN. vVl 53081

December 27, 2005

Thank you for calling this meeting and giving the parties interested the opportunity to voice their serious concerns on this matter of the specified Mead Library Board of Trustees conduct regarding an alleged legal employment contract given to the Library Director.

As a member of the Sheboygan County Taxpayers Alliance this matter strikes us as the most egregious performance of lack of fiscal and legal responsibility towards the taxpayers of Sheboygan by the involved Trustees of the Library Board with over a half million dollar give-away to the Library Director whether she lives or becomes deceased. In talks with a few CEOs and CFOs both active and retired the collective thought encompassed an aura of unbelievably and are not aware of any similar type contracts in their sphere of influence. More to the point it is a fact that this particular contract appears to be a completely illegal contract as defined by City Ordinance and State Statutes wherein no other city employee has a "contract." If allowed to pass unchecked, it will set a very bad new precedent.

State Statute, Chapter 66 specifically deals with this matter wherein it states that a library board cannot enact a rule for library employees, which is inconsistent with the terms and conditions of employment, established by the governing body for all municipal employees. The League of Wisconsin Municipalities and Municipal Library Boards Leagues Legal Council reiterate this.

Therefore, we ask that the City Attorney give a final written opinion and direction to the Library Trustee Board to act within the law and the Mayor should ask for those particular trustees that voted for the alleged legal contract immediate resignations.

Further, we ask that a special meeting of the City Finance Committee be called with the Library Board Trustees in attendance to deal with the question of their recent actions. Additionally, we ask that the Mayor call a special meeting of the Common Council to ask for the resignations and/or removal of those Library Trustees that attempted the implementation of an alleged legal employment contract with the Library Director. We ask finally that the Library Board Trustees that voted in session for this specious alleged legal contract for the Library Director be removed from office. We further ask that a new Board of Trustees be appointed and review the continued employment of the Library Director. A return to legal fiscally responsible Library operation is imperative and this matter will not go away till the above is accomplished for the benefit of Sheboygan taxpayers and users of our Library.

Sheboygan County Taxpayers Alliance