52 Comments

1. POSTED BY herbeverschmel  |  April 26, 2010 @ 2:53 pm

   They should fire the guy that made that sign.
2. POSTED BY staticpen  |  April 26, 2010 @ 3:01 pm

   Why should they fire the sign maker? For being honest? Let’s hope Christie is out of a job before the sign maker is. Unfortunately, that depends on how many more cuts the library has to endure before the next election.
3. POSTED BY JerseyGrrl  |  April 26, 2010 @ 3:04 pm

   This is very disturbing. If you can, you might want to contact the director, David Hinkley 973 744-0500. According to the library’s website here is a list of the Board of Trustees:
   Clifford Kulwin, President
   Katherine Nicholas, Vice President
   Wilford Adkins, Secretary
   Frank E. Lawatsch, Jr., Treasurer
   Lois Whipple
   Robert Jackson
   The Honorable Mayor Jerry Fried
   Diana Lunin
   Guy Whitlock, School Board Designee
   and here are the dates of the next library board meetings:
   Monday, May 17th
   Monday, June 21st
   Monday, July 19th
   Monday, September 20th
   Monday, October 18th
   Monday, November 15th
4. POSTED BY Generically named Mike  |  April 26, 2010 @ 3:06 pm

   They could (should?) just close the auxiliary branch in Upper Montclair and leave the main branch open per usual.
   But, I’m guessing not enough people use the auxiliary branch for it to make the same “statement” as closing the main branch for one day a week will.
5. POSTED BY dbpuck  |  April 26, 2010 @ 3:11 pm

   First he went for the schools, but I don’t have kids in school so I didn’t speak up.
   Then he went for the teachers, but I am not a teacher so I didn’t speak up.
   Then he went for the libraries, but I don’t use the library so I didn’t speak up.
   My taxes are still high and my house value is low, but there is no one now to speak up.
6. POSTED BY cmeinmontclair  |  April 26, 2010 @ 3:16 pm

   Maybe someone out there knows the answer to this. Why can’t they just let some administrators go? Particularly in the schools? Is it somehow prohibited b/c of the unions? Beating up on Christie isn’t the answer — the out of control spending had to cease. I applaud him & I think that sign is ridiculous. Fire some of the people at the top that are probably doing very little & earning a lot.
7. POSTED BY kyle41181  |  April 26, 2010 @ 3:18 pm

   dbpuck,
   It would be nice if you new what you were talking about. Christie never singled out any of the above diatribe as you describe:
   CUTS WERE MADE ACROSS THE BOARD…..
   Text Right from his Budget Speech
   “Every single department of state government will be reduced:
   Agriculture, down 24%;
   Banking, down 12%;
   Children and families, down 4%;
   Community affairs, down 35%;
   Corrections, down 7%;
   Environmental protection, down 2%;
   Education, down 8%;
   Health and senior services, down 6%;
   Human services, down 4%;
   Labor, down 6%;
   Law and public safety, down 7%;
   Military affairs, down 2%;
   The public advocate, down 25%.
   State, transportation and treasury, down 11, 3, and 39%, respectively.
   Every department of state government has been asked to tighten its belt.”
   Facts are stubborn, lets try to stick to them.
   P.S. To say “The Honorable Mayor Jerry Fried ” is down right ridiculous. I think “Un” is missing in front of “Honorable”
8. POSTED BY kidnextdoor  |  April 26, 2010 @ 3:29 pm

   The only thing wrong with this is it should have been done sooner. There are 2 in Mtc. Most towns have 1. Heres a thought, cut back it over inflated budget a bit. They have their own Personnel Director? And some of the same “titles” at 205? How about the people at 205 wear 2 hats? The other alternative is merge it with another town? Face it, its an expensive building and staff to keep for people to socialize and charge their cellphones. Use Starbucks.
9. POSTED BY lazy123  |  April 26, 2010 @ 3:37 pm

   is this today? i was planning on dropping off books that are due today. so we’re losing library services and incurring late fees! $$$ everywhere you turn…
10. POSTED BY Spiro T. Quayle  |  April 26, 2010 @ 3:37 pm

    Herb please elaborate – why is there a problem with the sign?
11. POSTED BY 13% Annual Tax Increas  |  April 26, 2010 @ 3:44 pm

    Here’s a better sign…
    State revenues are down over 20%, hence the library is closed today.
    No one likes to hear the truth.
12. POSTED BY Ideas  |  April 26, 2010 @ 3:54 pm

    http://www.montclairlibrary.org/newhours
13. POSTED BY Grover  |  April 26, 2010 @ 4:04 pm

    Monday is the only day that the Bellevue branch will be open (hence the closing of the main branch). In my conversations with library employees, they are all really working hard to make the library great for the community despite reductions in staffing and budget. I love public libraries, and think they are great community resources; hopefully they can continue to function well in this time of decreased revenues for everyone.
14. POSTED BY 13% Annual Tax Increas  |  April 26, 2010 @ 4:09 pm

    Well said Grover. It’s a shame that so few understand the reality of the crisis. If CC passes the 2.5% property tax cap, next year is going to make this year’s budget negotiations look like a cakewalk. Unfortunately, the cap is absolutely necessary to the future well being of NJ. If all the wealth continues to leave for cheaper pastures in Pennsylvania, we is in much bigger trouble.
15. POSTED BY safe as houses  |  April 26, 2010 @ 4:10 pm

    Cry me a river people. It’s belt tightening time. Does it really matter if the library is closed 1 day a week? I’m going to go with no. what we like, need, and can afford are not the same thing. I’d rather have a library closed 1 day a week then have it open every day yet have no money for subscriptions to magazines and purchasing new books.
    I do not know a single person who has not taken a pay cut, and/or lost their bonus, and/or lost their job and is now un or underemployed, and had the cost of their health benefits go up.
    Wake up and smell reality people.
16. POSTED BY Spiro T. Quayle  |  April 26, 2010 @ 4:33 pm

    Perhaps Wall Street can do a little PR and community service at the same time and set aside some of their grotesquely outsized earning to help out the libraries.
    Ooops that sounds like Socialism to lots of people, but Andrew Carnegie did it anyway.
17. POSTED BY kyle41181  |  April 26, 2010 @ 4:49 pm

    Spiro,
    “Perhaps Wall Street can do a little PR and community service at the same time and set aside some of their grotesquely outsized earning to help out the libraries.”
    Perhaps they could also return it in dividends to share holders(401K’s Pensions, common share holdrs), in turn giving people in the community the necessary money to provide services they might want. Charity is not Socialism, Gov’t running business’s and Industry is.
    P.S. The biggest givers to Charities in the USA are B & M Gates. You know that Evil Wall Street Executive and his wife!
    EPIC FAIL!
18. POSTED BY Spiro T. Quayle  |  April 26, 2010 @ 4:59 pm

    Kyle, do you really think that Bill Gates is a Wall Street Executive (sic) ? (“and his wife”)
19. POSTED BY State Street Pete  |  April 26, 2010 @ 5:01 pm

    If the sign just said “Library closed today” you don’t think they’d get calls and questions asking Why? The sign clear and to the point, and I guess that bothers some here.
20. POSTED BY mtclibn42  |  April 26, 2010 @ 5:03 pm

    Yes, services throughout NJ are being cut, but the proposed cuts to state funding for NJ libraries is way out of proportion — 74% of the budget will be cut. The impact goes beyond what has already happened to MPL. This loss of funding impacts academic libraries such as the one at MSU, it impacts library delivery services, training and education offered to librarians, access from home to dozens of online databases, and much, much more. If you love libraries I urge you to go to the following website, learn more about the proposed budget cuts and get involved in helping to stop them from going through:
    http://savemynjlibrary.org/
    BTW, as many of you already know, libraries are much more than books. Lots of Montclair residents rely on the library as their only access to computers and the Internet. Many of these residents, young and old, are looking for work, and/or working on homework assignments, etc. It is awful that the library is closed on Mondays.
21. POSTED BY kyle41181  |  April 26, 2010 @ 5:07 pm

    “Kyle, do you really think that Bill Gates is a Wall Street Executive”
    Regardless of him not being in Day to Day Control he still owns most of MICROSOFT. One of the biggest Wall Street Firms in the WORLD!
    Your statement borders on delusional to honest Spiro. Bill Gates not being a Wall Street Executive, hahahahahahaha, then what was he for the last 15yrs?
    He became a philanthropist in the last two years when he donated half his fortune and Warren Buffet another Wall Street Guru donated BBBBBAAAAAABBBillllllions to the B&M Gates Foundation.
    Corporate sponsors like DOW Chemicals of “Live Earth” concert serious. Most Non-Profits in NYC depend and rely heavily on Corporate sponsors. Thats why they were so upset when our current President thought it would be a great idea to raise revenue by decreasing the amount of money that can be write offs through donations. Have you ever seen the back of a program from the NY Philharmonic Orch, Corporate sponsors are all thats on there.
    WAKE UP SPIRO
22. POSTED BY Spiro T. Quayle  |  April 26, 2010 @ 5:10 pm

    I am quite awake, Kyle, and thank you very much, you make a fine alarm clock.
    This just in from Fox News, and endorsed by Rush Limbaugh: Columbus Day shall be forever banned, effective immediately. After all, Chris came here under dubious circumstances, spoke Spanish at home and had no papers in the glove compartment of his boat.
23. POSTED BY jerseygurl  |  April 26, 2010 @ 5:15 pm

    UH, Kyle. Bill Gates is NOT a Wall Street executive. He has never been in investment banking or finance. He started a software company, based on an operating system. He, and his company, actually made products people could use. And he got out and started a charitable foundation when he had more than enough money. Very much unlike Wall Street executives (Goldman, Lehman, and all those hedge funds) who are in it purely to make as much money for themselves, in many cases to serve no other purpose other than increase their own wealth at the expense of their shareholders. Just a small, but important distinction.
24. POSTED BY kyle41181  |  April 26, 2010 @ 5:21 pm

    “He has never been in investment banking or finance.”
    Microsoft not being on Wall Street are you kidding JG? Wall Street refers to the place Stocks and Bonds are traded. So only financial companies are considered on Wall Street? That might be the dumbest thing I have read in a long time……
    What about GE, they make products but also have GE Capital, are they on Wall Street? MetLife is in Insurance are they considered to be on Wall Street?
    MSFT- On the Nasdaq, yup Wall Street
    BRK.A- On the DOW, yup Wall Street
25. POSTED BY Spiro T. Quayle  |  April 26, 2010 @ 5:26 pm

    You are focusing on GE, my friend, and this is a telltale sign of overdosing on too much O’Reilly. Time to take a refresher course on covering up thine tracks.
26. POSTED BY kyle41181  |  April 26, 2010 @ 5:28 pm

    JG,
    Please see Microsoft Dynamics. It is the Capital Finance division of Microsoft Corporation.
    Again, you both are delusional to think Bill Gates was not a Wall Street Executive
27. POSTED BY Spiro T. Quayle  |  April 26, 2010 @ 5:33 pm

    Kyle do us all a favor and give Bill a call. If He thinks he’s a Wall Street executive, I’ll defer to your brilliant assessment.
28. POSTED BY kyle41181  |  April 26, 2010 @ 5:33 pm

    Another example since you think I am watching to Much Bill Orielly.
    John Deere Capital Corporation. Financing Arm of the Corporation
    or
    GMAC you know the Lending Arm(not just Automibles, they do Mortgages on Resi and Comm) of General Motors
    or
    Toyota Financial
    Trying to discredit me because your lack of understanding only proves your argument false again and again and again
29. POSTED BY Mike91  |  April 26, 2010 @ 5:35 pm

    Again, you both are delusional to think Bill Gates was not a Wall Street Executive
    Wow. Not sure what to say about that one. Sure, he’s has a ton of money to invest but I don’t think that makes him a Wall Street Executive. I would reserve that title for the people who work at the banks or trading houses.
    The fact that Microsoft has a finance arm certainly doesn’t make him a financial whiz. I’m not even sure he would be considered very good at technology. His crowning glory was making PC manufacturers bundle his inferior operating system with their PCs and licensing the architecture to whomever wanted it.
30. POSTED BY Spiro T. Quayle  |  April 26, 2010 @ 5:37 pm

    Kyle, I’m only chatting with you. You, on the other hand, seem anxious to prove a point. The ocean washes away all sand castles in an fairly equal manner.
31. POSTED BY jerseygurl  |  April 26, 2010 @ 5:39 pm

    Just because a company’s stock is publicly traded, it does not mean the CEO is considered a “Wall Street” executive. Not even sure why I’m arguing the point.
32. POSTED BY kyle41181  |  April 26, 2010 @ 5:40 pm

    “The fact that Microsoft has a finance arm certainly doesn’t make him a financial whiz.”
    But building a company that is Worth 250 Billion plus does. Or all the M/A activity since the early 1990′s wouldn’t count either HUH?
33. POSTED BY M  |  April 26, 2010 @ 5:42 pm

    BCCLS, interlibrary loan might end. It is an amazing service. That said, I still don’t understand why they don’t close the library on Bellevue, and still even close the library one day a week if need be- but save the amazing programs that exist and the employees that are needed. From what I heard many are waiting for pink slips this next week- and in 6 months there will be another round. Again, unless anyone has a solid reason why, the library in Upper Montclair is completely unnecessary. (Particularly open just one day a week.)
34. POSTED BY south end ella  |  April 26, 2010 @ 5:48 pm

    What your picture doesn’t show is that there are actually TWO signs in front of the library. Whatever the cost of ONE sign, DOUBLED. I’m speechless…
35. POSTED BY Mike91  |  April 26, 2010 @ 5:52 pm

    But building a company that is Worth 250 Billion plus does.
    Uh, no. Especially since large companies have their own business management divisions, of which Gates may or may not have (probable, since he seemed to really only care about the software) had much dealings with.
    What does M&A activity have to do with anything? Large companies rely on investment banks get the capital in place for acquisitions (usually through some kind of borrowing or another), so I think you’ve actually argued against your own point there.
    Sheesh Kyle, give it up.
36. POSTED BY JerseyGrrl  |  April 26, 2010 @ 6:06 pm

    “Again, unless anyone has a solid reason why, the library in Upper Montclair is completely unnecessary.”
    Perhaps you should ask the people who live and go to school in Upper Montclair.
37. POSTED BY Chris Porter  |  April 26, 2010 @ 6:09 pm

    Salaries at the library are way too high. The problem is personnel costs. We need to get rid of people from the top down.
    I go to the library frequently. I see people sitting in offices doing very little. The people on the floor and at the circulation desk are working (not like at McDonalds or a real business, but working). Cut, cut, cut.
38. POSTED BY kidnextdoor  |  April 26, 2010 @ 6:17 pm

    Didn’t know “Upper” Montclair was so far away from “Lower” Montclair. Remember, they were built when people traveled by horse and buggie. Close it, sell the property and merge the Main Library with another town. People use them as a social spot now. Most research is done computer. Merge and CHARGE A FEE. Use it, pay for it.
39. POSTED BY JerseyGrrl  |  April 26, 2010 @ 6:19 pm

    Actually, I think that the “money” people are pitting the private workers vs. the public workers as they walk away with the $. Increase the taxes on the wealthy. If they threaten to leave, hold the door open for them.
40. POSTED BY M  |  April 26, 2010 @ 6:24 pm

    I’m sorry. The Main Library is an amazing space and completely accessible to “Upper” Montclair. Again, tell me a compelling reason for this 2nd library to be open one day a week, or even exist.
41. POSTED BY cncrnd  |  April 26, 2010 @ 6:40 pm

    How many angels can dance on the head of a pin? How can a camel pass through the eye of a needle? How many morons can post on a single message board?
    Cost savings gained through reducing library hours are a rounding error in this budget debate. It is just a symbolic gesture to rile up the community about the services that they are losing.
    Do the math. If you close a library for a couple of days you save maybe a couple of thousand dollars. If you reduce waste and redundancy within the ranks of public employees you can save millions. Face it. The status quo is unsustainable, and you can’t just keep taxing people to death to maintain it.
42. POSTED BY Georgette Gilmore  |  April 26, 2010 @ 6:59 pm

    I live in “Upper” Montclair and chose a school in the South End of Montclair for my daughter. I also mainly use the main library because it has everything we need.
    It’s one town, not a country. It’s not hard to drive 10-15 minutes across town.
    While I find it sad that the library is facing cuts, I think one really good library is better than two with less hours and programs.
43. POSTED BY Georgette Gilmore  |  April 26, 2010 @ 7:04 pm

    Sorry JerseyGrrl, I was replying to tecup’s comment.
44. POSTED BY JerseyGrrl  |  April 26, 2010 @ 8:04 pm

    Yes, while it may not be hard for one person to drive 10-15 minutes across town, multiply that by all the people in Upper Montclair and added traffic to already congested roads. Not to mention the very limited parking at the Main Library and the extra pull on the collection. And what about service to those who don’t drive who walk to the branch?
45. POSTED BY profwilliams  |  April 26, 2010 @ 8:34 pm

    Limited parking? There’s a HUGE parking deck a block away.
    And when the wealthy leave, who’s gonna pay for all your services? Sadly, your idea will leave the town with a lot more to worry about than the closing of a library, like the Senior Citizen bus service… Hate to tell you, the rich pay for much of services you enjoy. So, be nice to them.
    Fortunately, my palatial UPPER Montclair estate has a library in the West wing. Small yes, but it has a great selection of the Western canon, Black literature and a classic collection of kids books.
    I thought all the homes in UPPER Montclair had ‘em?
46. POSTED BY Spicoli  |  April 26, 2010 @ 8:55 pm

    …working on my new lawn sign
    PROPERTY TAX INCREASES
    SUMMER VACATION CANCELLED
47. POSTED BY Nellie  |  April 26, 2010 @ 9:26 pm

    Spicoli, there will be a big demand for your sign. You will amass a fortune.
48. POSTED BY M  |  April 26, 2010 @ 10:19 pm

    Very few people use the Upper Montclair library. I dare you to send someone to count how many people go in next Monday. Many of the “rich” go to the main library 10 minutes away- because it has more of what you need. When the Upper Montclair library was open with more hours I used to go there a lot- and even then- it was often empty.
49. POSTED BY weffiewonj  |  April 27, 2010 @ 7:53 am

    The library may be closed due to budget cuts, but it seems implausible that the cause is the 74% cut on the state level.
    The proposed NJ budget will slash general library funding all of $3.5 million for all of NJ, a pittance of which goes to any one library. According to the library website, the Montclair town budget cuts are slated to be $700,000, a much more serious number.
50. POSTED BY mtclibn42  |  April 27, 2010 @ 8:31 pm

    The state cuts for libraries have not gone through yet, but if they do, it will be to the of $10 million dollars, not $3.5 million dollars.
    Visit http://savemynjlibrary.org/ for details.
    And to make matters worse, the loss of state funding for certain library programs will lead to a loss of federal funding for other library programs. Thus the overall loss is more than $10 million dollars.
51. POSTED BY mtclibn42  |  April 27, 2010 @ 8:34 pm

    to the *tune* of $10 million
52. POSTED BY RealHawker  |  April 27, 2010 @ 11:05 pm

    there is a lone tear running down my face… WAAAAAHHHHHHH
    I second Safe as Houses post.

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