#1 2010-01-27 22:42:00
I understand K and P are now reviewing the Facebook page. Open up your wallets taxpayers. Just another waste of your tax dollars.
And for what? Because we have created a groundswell of interest for a library that is literally on its knees. Its budget has been devastated, staff decimated. It has had no qualified library director since last July. But people from all over the country and several different countries are more than willing to become fans of our great library.
No good deed goes unpunished as they say. Only sick pathetic people could find something wrong in such a great endeavor.
The page was created almost a year ago. Many libraries in the county now are on Facebook and it is recommended by library professional organizations. How is that a problem?
A donor stepped forward and offered to donate money for every fan we got. Another donor stepped forward to match the original. This money will be used to purchase books for the library since there is no money in the library budget to buy books. How is that a problem?
The Friends of the Library, who raises money FOR the Wareham Free Library does so by demonstrating that we are associated with it, that we a "part" of the Wareham Free Library if you will. The Friends have been part of the town's web site since it was created, indicating that there has been a relationship between the two entities for a long time. I don't see any other way to raise money for an institution without claiming a tie to that institution. We have purchased $65,000 worth of books and materials for the library in the past two years. How is that a problem?
For any logical, rational person, it would not be a problem it would be a "gift." To have an outside source raising money for a library that can barely keep its doors open should be welcomed, not vilified. Only in the current Wareham could this happen.
To have a Town Administrator who tells two people from the Friends one thing and then LIES about it in a local tabloid says it all. Wareham is in deep trouble.
As to the Facebook page??? Well, people are still joining. We have over 1200 fans in just a few days. People are talking about it. People are reconnecting with old acquaintances through it. People are reminiscing about the library and the town on the wall. Current fans are helping us get fans from all the states and other countries. People have been having fun all in the name of the WAREHAM FREE LIBRARY. In my world, that's a GOOD THING!!!!
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#2 2010-01-27 22:46:49
As it should be. That's why we must throw these bums out this April
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#3 2010-01-28 23:12:40
Quote from Bobo's Backhanded Cheer:
We urge everyone who signed up on the fake Wareham Free Library Facebook page to make their donations directly to the library through the town.
Holy freaking shit. I have never seen someone with such low comprehension abilities. Does he know how to read? Does he understand the English language? Does he have some kind of cognitive disorder?
Maybe he's just deaf. Let me help you Bobo:
ATTENTION FAT STUPID BASTARD!!! NO ONE WHO SIGNED UP FOR THE FACEBOOK PAGE WAS ASKED FOR A DONATION! THEY ARE NOT MAKING ANY DONATIONS! AT ALL! PERIOD! THE ONLY PERSON MAKING THE DONATION IS THE DONOR - 1 DOLLAR FOR EVERY FRIEND! THE ONLY THING THE PEOPLE ARE DONATING IS THEIR FRIENDSHIP! THAT'S IT! NO DONATIONS FROM THEM! GOOD GOD, YOU ARE ONE IGNORANT BRAINLESS ASSCLOWN!
Seriously, Bobo. Get Hooked on Phonics.
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#4 2010-01-29 06:46:31
Just a comment on making your "donations" directly to the town.
In the Oct. 08 issue of the local tabloid, the tabloid writer had an article in his paper (I have a copy) says that if he got 1000 new subscriptions to the rag, he'd donate $10 for each or $10,000. Eventually he donated $1000. It went into the library gift account held by the town. The acting director sent a letter to thank the donor and said the money would be used to purchase books and materials. However, a simple letter is not PROOF of exactly how the money was used by the town.
Around the same time, Jane told the public NOT to donate to the Paddlethon but to send donations to the town itself and in a grand gesture held up a check for $100. It too went into the Library gift account.
After the paddlethon, the Friends donated $20,000 to the town to pay salaries to ward off decertification. It too went into the gift account. How do I know this?
In August 2009, when the library litigation was settled, I called the treasurer to see if there would be a separate trust fund account set up to hold the $50,000 check from the settlement. At that time, I asked if the 20,000 had been used. He checked the gift account and told me that the money was still there as was the $1100 that had been donated which was almost a year after the original deposit.
(Now recently, a town official [new TA or Top Banana] denied saying something to me even though I had a witness with me. I spoke with the treasurer on the phone and while he could deny this conversation, I know he is an honest and trustworthy man so I'm not expecting another slap in the face!!)
The town had a temporary accountant for quite a while after Mr. Bliss was fired. So, while invoices for books and materials went to the town, the money in the gift account was never spent by the town. Once money is in the gift account, it is under the control of the town. We had been told that the temporary accountant only paid bills and did not do any transferring from accounts etc. and in all fairness, might not have known about the gift account anyway since the person was a temp.
So what is my point? Go ahead and give your money to the town. But if I were you I'd ask to see the receipts for what was purchased with your donation. For all I know, that money might still be sitting there in the gift account, or maybe it was transferred to the library account after my phone call with the treasurer.
When money goes to the Friends, it gets spent on the library directly. We have all the invoices for books, materials, furniture, computers etc. and Grizzy has copies of some of them.
But if you DO give your donations to the town, and please do if that's what you prefer, I would suggest you RESTRICT your donation if you want it to be spent in a specific way. For instance, if you want it to be used in the children's rooms for programs or computers or books, or if you want it to be used for the literacy programs say so. Otherwise, you could be paying the electric bill. If that's not a problem for you, that's fine. But donations can be restricted and the entity accepting donations must abide by your wishes. You might also want to ask for proof that your money was spent as per your request just to make sure that the money you donated to purchase books wasn't used to pay the heating bill.
ANY money that goes to the support of the library is a good thing. So, please give.
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#5 2010-01-29 08:19:27
"Those that wish to donate towards..." that was the statement made NOT JOIN THE efl PAGE AND DONATE!!!! he really can spin anything...
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#6 2010-01-29 08:33:11
I used to get angry when this small man attacked good people and spread his lies. I recently realized he doesn't have much of an audience and his sole purpose is to create havoc/confusion. Seriously, how on earth could he designate the Facebook page a scam? Not a soul joining that page is donating money. Most tell stories about what the library means to them. it sounds like a happy place for people to remember their good times and support a worthwhile cause. An anonymous donor is donating money based on those who join the page. I must be missing the sinister evil intentions here.
For the admin of that page, thank you. YOu have provided a wonderful place for people to share their memories of the library. For the anonymous donor, thank you. Your money WILL help to support the library, despite the idiots that continue to tear this town apart. Think about it. The Town Administrator and Brenda Eckstrom should be supporting this effort because it brings donations to the library. Instead, they don't want the money????? If you are looking for a reason to vote for change, this is a prime example. Professional and mature leadership do not lash out at those who seek to help the town.
Shame on Mark Andrews and shame on Brenda Eckstrom. PLEASE, let's send them a message in April that we will no longer tolerate poor leaders and wishy washy management.
As far as Bobo, he is nothing more than a destructive little man who wants to be important. Ignore the cowardly fabricator.
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#7 2010-01-29 08:47:04
THANK YOU FOGCUTTER!! Here is a comment that was sent to me and I totally agree with.
By: fogcutter on 1/27/10
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Robert Slager wrote:
Think of it this way: Let's say you owed the library $2,000. Then you launched a fund-raiser and earned $2,000. You turn that money over to the library. Did you actually give them $2,000 or did you just pay them the $2,000 you already owed?
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Rob,
I don't think that analogy is compatible here, and frankly not fair in my opinion.
Here is the deal...
The Friends of Wareham Free Library is a private non-profit organization, not beholden to the town. If folks don't like them for whatever reason, they don't need to give to them money.
The Friends have descretion on what they use their funds for. If they want to pay for new books or computers or wall decorations. That is their choice, unless the donations to them came with their own strings attached. For example, folks may have given donations to the Friends for the expressed purposes that they use the money to puchase childrens books specifically. But that is a matter between the donor and the org.
The bottom line is that the town is responsible for ensuring that the library is properly funded. Anything that the library receives above and beyond that from individuals or non-profits is GRAVY.
If the Friends wish to save/invest their money at this time and not dole it out to the WFL, that is their choice. It is their right. Now you could wish that they do more to fund the day to day operations of the WFL, but others could more easily say why on earth should they do that? That's the town's job! Why reward the Town for shirking their responsbility to the library? The irony here being that such an approach is actually advocating a CONVERSION OF PRIVATE FUNDS to public sector funds. Again, don't get me wrong, the Friends are free to make that choice if they wish. But it must be their choice and they shouldn't be pressured to do so.
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Robert Slager wrote:
The town should already have the $2,000 from the Friends.
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How do you figure? I think the untold story is that the friends HAVE given generously to the WFL. Especially in this economy. Way more than $2,000.
Take a look at the IRS 990 for the Friends of WFL for tax year ending April 2009.
I know that you have been mulling over these forms and have them, but for others they are available at...
http://www.warehamforum.com/forums/view … ?f=12&t=20
And select "009_990_friends_of_wfl.pdf
Look on Statement 2 (pages 11 and 12) and you will find several disbursments made by the Friends directly to the Town of Wareham that total $106,437 as od April 2009 alone!!! This was for...
Library salaries
Books & Subscriptions
Materials and equipment
Library supplies
And more
Maybe not as much as you would have prefered they dole out, but as my wife would say, "Tough Petunias". If folks want, they can always go out and create their own charitable org to support the library and pusuade folks to give money to it.
Remember, THIS IS GRAVY that the Friends were not obligated to spend at this time. But they did, and it didn't cost me a dime as a taxpayer. Again NO DOWN SIDE here. I hate to think of the shape our library would have been in without the added income of the Friends.
And if anyone from the Friends is reading this, I say personally "Thank You and your donors" for that!
Unless I'm missing something, an extra $2,000 is not a "scam", Robert, that's a gift.
Sorry, but I have to agree with Mr. Holmes on this one (did I say that out loud?), when he says, "Just give this a chance to work, when it does it benefits all of us and out Town."
A while back John Donahue was wondering about finding common ground and working with those that are so dead set against the current selectmen. I would say what better issue than to rally areound the library? Everyone wants to see it succeeed, and frankly your so called "partisans" have evidently been leading the way. Why not support them when they get it right?
Note: The "allegations" in The Observer against the former director (and any connections to specific trustees of the Friends) are a separate issue and needs to run its course. But as far as the Friends of Wareham financial contrbutions to the Town/WFL, I say kudos!
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#8 2010-01-29 09:20:32
Well Said Fogcutter. The mere suggestion that the FB page is a scam should anger anyone who holds the library near and dear. It's obvious that Brenda Eckstrom and (now) the town administrator have weighed in for the negative. Why? Wouldn't leadership of this town support any effort to garner donations to a library that is fighting to keep it's certification and operate at a minimum acceptable level?
If anyone is looking for a reason to vote out the leadership in this town, this alone would suffice. Seriously, why on earth would you support a Selectmen and TA who cut off their nose to spite their face?
Poor leadership becomes poor decisions. Enough is enough!
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#9 2010-01-29 09:44:08
Wow is all I can say. My hope would be that Mr. Slager could see the logic in this argument because Fogcutter is absolutly correct. The reason that non- profit fundraising groups even exsist is to support organizations not destroy them. Using Slagers logic any non profit fundraising group that supports any public entity should be controlled by that public entity. That the public entity should be able to decide how any money that they raise should be spent.
Here is the reality. Sports and Band Booster Clubs for example that work hard to raise funds for School sports. Give specifically to the sport that they support. Now Imagine say that a Booster club for the color gaurd was told that the Scool Commitee had ultimate say on how the money that they raised was spent. Then to add insult to injury the School Committe decided to take that money and pay the electric bill with it. I would think that the group would stop making any effort to raise funds if they had no control over how it was spent. Furthermore why would donors even support a non-profit if it ran in such a fashion. I for one will continue to contribute to the non-profits. Because I know that they will spend the money that I contribute properly and not miss-use it like a public entity might be inclined to do. Keep fighting the good fight Mrs. Bicki. And Fogcutter if you are out there. Thank you for trying to talk some sence into someone who seems to be incredibly thick headed.
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#10 2010-01-29 10:01:57
Bravo fogcutter.
Finally someone from The Wareham OBSERVER chat sessions that is seeing the tabloid and it's Owner, Editor, Reporter, and paper delivery BOY for what he is worth. He has purposely taken an effort as simple as befriending one of the most charitable efforts in Wareham on their facebook page and spun it to suggest there is some underhanded devious "scam" to generate financial support for one of the best institutions Wareham has. It's time to finally ignore his presence and insist that he GO AWAY ! Take his nonsense out of the equation and WE are a new community overnight. C'mon April 6th.
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#11 2010-01-29 10:14:18
GWB,
On that note, it is also imperative that the fund raising group have good communications with the organization they support. This is not the case when it comes to the Friends and the management of the town/library. As an example, under a good relationship, the groups would discuss the needs of the library and then come to an agreement on what was needed (maybe a compromise). Under the current leadership of this town, they are more interested in dictating and controlling, which is certainly not working!
Again the question, why on earth would the leadership/admin of this town snub their nose at a group that is trying to raise money to HELP them???? It is absolute madness.
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#12 2010-01-29 14:03:18
This message goes directly to the bathroom in Halifax. I have no doubt that it will be read in under 5 minutes!!
Tacky Tabloid Writer--stop sending me emails. Don't waste your time as you have been permanently blocked from my email site.
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#13 2010-01-29 14:05:05
another statement made by robert slager who allows ppl to HIDE behind screen names and attack other ppl...
"This isn’t about hating the library or engaging in personal vendettas against library supporters. It’s about demanding these people start telling the truth and stop their divisive attacks against anyone with the temerity to question them."
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#14 2010-01-29 14:06:08
Nora Bicki wrote:
This message goes directly to the bathroom in Halifax. I have no doubt that it will be read in under 5 minutes!!
Tacky Tabloid Writer--stop sending me emails. Don't waste your time as you have been permanently blocked from my email site.
send him and email stating if he contacts you again you will go to the police for harassment!!
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#15 2010-01-29 15:07:29
Nora,
Just my opinon, but you don't owe him any type of explanation or answer. If you were contacted by a journalist with integrity and the ability to write a fair and factual article, it would be different. He has no honor, no integrity, and is nothing more than a tabloid writer. I wouldn't give it another thought.
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