The City Council says if the library doesn't add more public members, it will lose the city's $3-million contribution.

01:00 AM EDT on Friday, April 7, 2006

BY CATHLEEN F. CROWLEY
Journal Staff Writer

PROVIDENCE -- City councilors weren't bluffing when they said they wanted more public representatives on the Providence Public Library's board of trustees.

Last night, the council approved an ordinance that would force the library's board to accept more public members or lose the $3 million the city gives the library every year.

The council acted unilaterally because negotiations with library leaders fell apart earlier this week.

"We don't care to negotiate with an organization that doesn't negotiate in good faith and says one thing and does another and doesn't act when it says it's going to," Councilman David A. Segal said.

Segal, Majority Leader Luis A. Aponte and the city Director of Administration John C. Simmons met with library leaders Monday to find out why they failed to present the council's proposed ordinance to the library's board.

Aponte and Segal said they walked out of the meeting because they were frustrated with the answers from Library Director Dale Thompson and Director of Institutional Advancement Maureen Sheridan.

"It was our understanding -- and I stood up and said as much six weeks ago -- that we expected this proposal to go before the board of PPL for some sort of consideration," Segal said. "We delayed action at two prior City Council meetings so as to allow them time."

The library, however, canceled its March 20 board meeting because of conflicts with vacations. There was talk of holding a meeting Monday, but it never occurred.

Library officials clarified their position yesterday. Tonia Mason, spokeswoman for the library, said library officials promised to introduce the ordinance to its board but did not indicate it would occur at the March 20 meeting.

Thompson said yesterday that the proposal -- as well as other options for public oversight -- would be presented to the library's executive committee Tuesday.

The Providence Public Library is a private, nonprofit that is financed through a mix of private donations and public money. More than 60 percent of the library's budget comes from city and state coffers.

The city's ordinance, which must be passed a second time before it takes effect, would add seven publicly appointed members to the library's board. The 33-member board currently has only one city appointee. Under the ordinance, the city would name two people to the board to fill two vacancies, and adopt five current board members as city appointees. When their terms expire, the city could reappoint them or appoint new people. In all, the city would have eight representatives on the board.

The ordinance was a compromise from an earlier proposal.

"Even though this is a much more fair-minded and tempered approach, the folks at the Providence Public Library are still unwilling to have this presented," Aponte said.

In a statement released by the library, library leaders said they would resist attempts to politicize their private board.

The statement said the library would consider the city's proposed method, but also consider other options such as creating a separate nonprofit corporation controlled by public appointees who would make decisions on how the city's $3 million is spent at the library.

Thompson said the library's board was very deliberative.

"They study things. They look at things very carefully," she said.

Both Thompson and Sheridan said they didn't realize that Aponte and Segal had walked out of their Monday meeting.

"Everybody walked out," Sheridan said. "We thought the meeting was over."

In other news, the council:

Approved an ordinance that will divest any city investments in the Sudan, where an attempt to quell an insurgency in Darfur has been called genocide. The ordinance bans the city from investing in any companies that do business with the Sudanese government.

Approved an ordinance that prohibits the city from using products fabricated in sweatshops, and an ordinance that gives city employees the opportunity to invest in socially responsible funds.

Amended the zoning code so that more property owners will be notified when a nearby property owner is seeking a zoning variance or special-use permit. The ordinance increases the area of notification, from 200 feet, to 500 feet.

Passed a resolution requesting the Fire Department to provide firefighters with masks protecting them from cyanide.

Passed a resolution requesting the Police Department to create a graffiti hot line and a graffiti unit.

Approved an ordinance that requires homeowners to keep their yards clear of debris and weeds, and keep their grass cut to 6 inches or shorter.

Adopted a $15 fine for parking without a permit in a residential zone and parking at an expired meter.

Passed a resolution requesting the mayor to notify the council of new appointments to boards and commission no less than 30 days before the formal filing of the nomination.

Accepted a petition signed by more than 200 people requesting that Rescue 6 be returned to Atwells Avenue fire station. The rescue ambulance is back in service but operating out of a different station.

ccrowley@projo.com / (401) 277-7376