WHERE’S THE MONEY?
By Susan Salyer
Lawrence County Public Library Director Carlie Pelfrey responded to questions asked by the Lazer on April 13, 2022 concerning the library budget. The Lazer emailed Pelfrey and asked for budget, salaries, contract amount for Dan Miller Consulting Group and bank or banks the library uses including the $6.5 or $6 Million.
Pelfrey, who is paid $67,500 according to her budget then emailed The Lazer stating an Open Records Document Information Request had to be filled out. The information request was emailed April 13, 22 and Pelfrey stated, “your request has been received and documents will be sent no later than close of business Friday April 29, 2022.”
Digital copies were received April 29, 22 from all questions except #4 to which Pelfrey said in her letter “The last request line is unclear. The library district does not have $6 million in any or all combined bank accounts. See 2021 -2022 budget.”
But at the last library meeting Pelphrey referred to the $6 million figure herself. So where’s the money?
“Having 6.5 Million dollars in the bank is a disservice to Lawrence County Taxpayer’s,” Pelfrey can be heard on the Lazer audio from April’s Board Meeting referring to funding.
We called LC Public Library today around noon and received Ms. Pelphrey’s voicemail but no comment on where the library does its banking and why the recent multi-million dollar addition to the facility is not mentioned in the last two year’s documents she sent has not been answered.
She did answer our question concerning how much was paid to the ‘economic development specialist Dan Miller which is $8,000 of taxpayers money.
Oddly, she did not reveal the names of banks or other institutions where the library’s (taxpayers) money is kept and dispersed – and instead made another excuse for not answering.
But things will change soon at the library.
The Kentucky House last Thursday voted 52-39 to override a veto issued by Gov. Andy Beshear of a bill giving county judge-executives the authority to appoint members to local public library boards. The result barely crossed the 51-vote threshold needed to override a veto.
The move came as a surprise, after the House initially failed to get enough support to override the veto Wednesday night.
Supporters of the measure say library boards, which have taxing authority, should have more oversight from elected officials. But many local librarians worry the bill will bring politics into libraries’ finances, hiring practices and even which books end up on the shelves.
The new law makes library boards across the state, many of which have large bank accounts similar to Louisa, directly accountable to the taxpayers.
The budget of the library must be approved. The law also leaves room for libraries to “get rid” of their large excesses (one bank has $16 million) but only one million at a time without court approval.
Eastern Kentucky Senator Philip Wheeler sponsored the measure, which grants county judge-executives the ability to appoint public library board members with no oversight from the state. Currently, potential library trustees are vetted by the state librarian before the county judge makes the appointment from an approved list.
Many citizens do not realize that the library and all other taxing districts have their own bank accounts and the county treasurer has no idea what they are spending their money for.
The question has come up about using the money for new “satellite” libraries in Blaine and Fallsburg, a start on a new elementary school for Louisa, and many other suggestions for how it should be used.
I called LC Public Library today around noon and received her voicemail no comment was given at time of publishing.
We will be happy to post Ms. Pelphrey’s response to our latest email asking for the information requested.
Helped to understand why the Judge wants the money? Why is this irrelevant? It is the libraries money! I am serious I really don’t understand, will someone share their knowledge?
It’s not the library’s money it’s the property owner’s money they should show where every penny goes.
I totally agree! The taxpayers pay way too much money to the Library and several other things! All money paid by taxpayers should be accounted for. However our local county Judge has too much power already! An audit should be done each year by a non political firm!
If it isnt the library’s money and the property owners, why do they have to show where it goes! We pay taxes for the library not the owners, unless they are taking it from the library and that is an entirely another ballgame!
It’s the property owner’s money it’s on your property tax bill every year. Shouldn’t be a problem to show were every dollar goes or kept.
Poorly written commentary (I’m sure this comment post won’t be added to comments) but wondering where the writer received this journalism degree.
Maybe time to vote in Preston for a “new change” since we really know where this is coming from
Just sayin’
So explain how Preston worked full time for the school board and full time as an “advisor” for the company that worked on the library and will be working on the school projects? He seems to have been cheating someone and that was the taxpayers!! Taking tax dollars from us taking a salary from the school board and from a construction company who was using tax dollars. He sure couldn’t work two full time jobs because there’s be no time for beauty sleep..”just sayin”. Cheating never prospers in the end!!
Yes, you are confused. Voting in Preston is the worst thing this county could do.
Carlie does a great job at the library. Open records is for you to look at. She does not have to give them to you. You need to do the research yourself. It’s there if you know how and where to look. Sometimes the laser looks like an A@& when they do stuff like this. Just like when you publish Lawrence County School System salaries. That’s pretty low. Yes it is public record for you to see but to publish it? Pretty low. Any state salaries for anything is available under the transparency law. You don’t see people publishing it. If you know where to look you can see it all. Just Saying.
Editor- All we want to see is where they keep their excess tax money and how they spend it. Ms. Pelphrey is the one who demanded a public records request before she would answer four simple questions from the local media. She has not come close to being transparent yet, but she may do so since we believe she is honest…
Kentucky is an open records stare although there are some amendments. She probably has given you what is required. You may want to look at the amendments to the open records law. She knows the requirements of her job .
She is following the law.
If someone request documents under the freedom of information act those documents are to be provided, in this instance, by the library!! They are funded by taxpayers which makes it taxpayers right to know!!! SMH
Johnny people shouldn’t have to hunt for the records it’s property owner’s money you are spending it should be a easy question to answer or it looks like you might be hiding something.
I’m sorry but undefined “Fringe Benefits” is unacceptable in any government institution. It’s always about transparency until you are the one in charge and on the receiving end.
Good job Lazer!
Keep up the great work Laser!! Don’t let them give you a run around. We the taxpayers want to know where our money is going!!!
What I see is that the library system is the last government entity to be able to control the funds collected locally. Seems people and local governments can’t stand the fact that they can keep a surplus to rebuild or make additions such as a new library in Blaine or Fallsburg. The state and local governments want to get their hands on those surpluses. Chance to say they reduced the deficits or found new money for some project.
Making the library go begging to state or county governments to get funding as our schools do now.
We paid this money separately into the library fund ,it now belongs to the library !
As long as it’s accounted for in a proper manner, it’s totally separate from government money.
We vote on the rate for the tax, if you don’t want them to have the money, then simply vote NO on the tax.
You are way off Richard. We do not vote on the tax rate nor can we vote on the board members who set the tax. You are right, they have excess money and we need to know where it is being kept. Until Sen. Bill 167 was passed two weeks ago, the board was chosen by Frankfort beaurocrats, now the board will be chosen by the local fiscal court, all of whom have to run for election. We believe that any monies collected as taxes should be transparent and rates set by elected public servants instead of having a closed shop of unelected board members. All other taxing districts can look for the same thing soon.
It’s the property owners who pay for the library it shouldn’t be a problem if someone wants to see where the money goes or invested it just doesn’t look right.
Anybody who receives tax money should show where it is spent or held.
A joke… 33$ an hour … 6 position at an average in 17 an hour… where do I apply
Why didn’t you monitor your county attorney’s office closely (that is one that falls under fiscal count – correct?),
No one is denying ANYONE ANYTHING – they are asking you go about it in the diplomatic process. If you think the local library can spend money (I’m still laughing about this)- without the governoring board and the state auditors seeing it, you need to return to the classroom for a lesson on political processes.
And the clerks office…. The clerks and library ppl make more than a deputy
I too am confused about all the complaining about the Library. I think it is wonderful that Louisa/Lawrence County has something that is very nice, instead of something small and very outdated. Why aren’t we all proud of the Library? It is beautiful, could you imagine how nice of a place Louisa would be to live if we had more community services that were as nice and well run as our Library. Maybe they do have a large budget, but there have been many examples of many places that have a large budget and have failed miserably. Carlie, her Board and Staff must be doing something right. As far as her wage, good for them, it should be seen as a positive that someone can earn a decent wage at a job in Lawrence County. I wish we had many more well paying jobs. Also, I feel it is being overlooked that Carlie had to have a Master’s Degree to have her job. She should earn more than positions that require less education. Instead of trying to tear down our places that are doing well and make our community a better place, lets support them and the people who work there.
One more thing, there are many, many other places in Lawrence County whose buget and they way they conduct their business, that should be scrutinized rather than the Library.