Written by Jeffrey Widmer
As expected, Carnegie Borough has released $7,000 in funding contributions to the Andrew Carnegie Free Library & Music Hall.
The money had been held in escrow by the borough since April and was released to the library last week.
Due to concerns about the sudden personnel turnover and financial management at the library, borough council decided earlier this year to place the monthly $2,500 it contributed into the escrow account.
However, council did release $5,500 in June to fund the Summer Reading and Math4U programs.
Manager Jeff Harbin said borough council continues to have “serious concerns” about the operations of the current library board of trustees.
“(But) council does not want to hurt the many people who are served by our library by denying critical funding that may be necessary to keep the library doors open,” Harbin said.
Carnegie Borough Council Vice President Pat Catena had recommended to the rest of the board earlier this month that the money be released.
Council President Rick D’Loss, who along with Catena and board member Sue Demko had become critical of the library board’s leadership, said the money will “give the library another month of operations.”
“Right now, from what I understand, they are going from paycheck to paycheck,” D’Loss said.
Relations between council and the library’s board of trustees have been strained for nearly a year. Maggie Forbes, who was executive director at the library and music hall for several years, resigned last October.
Diane Klinefelter, appointed to take Forbes’ place, resigned after only a few months in the position.
Jeff Widmer is a staff writer for Trib Total Media. He can be reached at 412-388-5810 or jwidmer@tribweb.com.