Library Levy Was Highly Visible

I've read a couple of references in the past two issues of the Twinsburg Bulletin that I am really having trouble understanding. Someone is saying that the School Board slipped a library levy by the vigilant eyes of the voters of the Twinsburg School District. My confusion is this - since the Library personnel first presented their intention to the school board December of last year, at least six public meetings were held (three were televised), fourteen articles, ads, or columns appeared in the Twinsburg Bulletin, Sun, Beacon Journal, or Cleveland Plain Dealer. three mailings were sent to each household, and seventy-five yard signs were placed throughout the community.

I have to assume that people who don't use the library may be a bit upset that the levy passed, but if you came to the Library this summer you sure couldn't miss the twenty foot banner in the main check-out area or the fliers that were pasted on every door, column or desk announcing the levy.  I can assure you that the fifteen thousand people who did visit the library this summer were very aware of the levy and were happy that it passed.

Public Libraries are not their own taxing authority. That means that they must have another government agency place library issues on the ballot.  Our local school board functions as the taxing authority for our library.  I don't believe it can refuse to do so.  In the spirit of cooperation the library tries not to be on the ballot at the same time as the schools.  The Schools and Library work very well together, but the Twinsburg Public Library is an independent agency.

Public Meetings

1. December 27, 2007 - Board President Bonny Cairns, Director Karen Tschudy, and Clerk/Treasurer Eileen Holloway, met with Twinsburg City School District Board of Education to let them know that the Library was planning on a levy issue for August 2008 special election.
2. March 5, 2008 - Library Levy Resolution of Necessity passed by School Board - TELEVISED meeting available on TSD's website, see Link
3. March 19, 2008 - Library Levy Resolution to Proceed passed by School Board - TELEVISED meeting available on TSD's website, see Link
4. June 24, 2008 -  Twinsburg City Council Meeting (TELEVISED) - New Library Director, Laura Leonard spoke five minutes during remonstrance period of City Council Meeting about the Library Levy.
5. July 16, 2008 - Twinsburg Township Trustees Meeting - Township Agenda - Director Laura Leonard spoke on Levy during remonstrance period.
6. July 17, 2008 - Meet the New Director and "Frequently Asked Questions about the Levy"

Press/Levy Literature

1. April 3, 2008 - Twinsburg Bulletin front page headline - Library Asks for Support
2. May 29, 2008 - Twinsburg Bulletin, page 2 - Library Levy on August Ballot
3. June 1, 2008 - Levy information available in Library and on Library Web Page, 20 foot banner strung across Circulation Area with announcement of levy, every door in and out of Library had poster with Levy announcement
4. June 9th - June 16th - Twinsburg School District Residents were mailed flier - Basic Facts About Issue 3
5. June 18 - Presentation to Roary Club of Twinsburg regarding Levy by Laura Leonard
6. June 19 - Twinsburg Sun article - Library Levy committee sets Dairy Queen event
7. "Live at the Library" columns in Twinsburg Bulletin mentioned upcoming levy issue - June 19th, July 3rd, July 10th, July 17, and July 24th.
8. June 25, 2008 - July/August Library Calendar of Events mailed to all residents containing "Dear Resident" information regarding issue 3.
9. July 24 - Twinsburg Bulletin endorses Library Levy "Choosing whether library service is a 'want' or a 'need'
10. July 28 - Cleveland Plain Dealer includes TPL Levy in article, "Communities turn to voters for help"
11. July 31 - Twinsburg Sun endorses Library Levy in article, "Library Levy: a bargain"
12. August 4 - Akron Beacon Journal lists TPL Levy in article on ballot issues

YouTube - Twinsburg Library Levy announcement, posted July 1, 2008. Narrated by Laura Leonard, Library Director 

PAC Committee (Citizens Supporting Twinsburg Public Library) - were responsible for the following:

1. Web page devoted to information about the Levy campaign, linked from the Library's front page
2. June 25 - Dairy Queen Night for Citizens Supporting Twinsburg Public Library
3. 75 yard signs distributed throughout the District
4. July 20 - Blue Canyon Night for Citizens Supporting Twinsburg Public Library
5. July 21 - Flier mailed out to all registered voters in the school district - Top Ten Reasons to vote YES on Issue #3, August 5
6. Full page ads "Support Your Library" Vote Yes on Issue 3 August 5, which appeared in both the Sun and Bulletin

Sorry guys, if you "missed" all of the above, then you must have had your head buried in the sand.  I believe only one person called before August 5th to comment on the levy. 

The Library Board went to the voters as a last resort.  All the cost savings and budget cuts possible had already been done over the past three years.  What was next - cut hours, services, and staff? Since the levy was passed by people who cared about keeping the library adequately funded, that bullet has been dodged.