Library board confronts city about snow removal

WILLIAMSBURG — Members of the Williamsburg Public Library Board, including Tony Dacey, the board’s president, confronted the Williamsburg City Council Monday about an email exchange with City Manager Aaron Sandersfeld about snow removal for the library.

As Dacey began questioning the city council about who is responsible for removing snow and buying sidewalk salt for the library, City Attorney Eric Tindal took issue with what he felt was a confrontational tone.

Tindal suggested that rather than accusing one another of hostile intent, the library and the city should discuss the issues in contention and find a solution.

“The two entities work best when they work together,” said Tindal. “I don’t understand where the battle lines are being drawn or why.”

The council allowed Dacey to begin reading a prepared statement in which he laid out his history of moving to Williamsburg and becoming part of a community he loves, noting that he practiced law in St. Louis and often took up the cause of the little guy against the government.

“I am someone who will stand up for what is right,” Dacey said.

Dacey said that Sandersfeld had abruptly asked for changes to maintenance of the library grounds and wouldn’t discuss concerns of the library board. Dacey came before the city council to inform the public, he said.

Williamsburg Mayor Adam Grier interrupted Dacey to explain that Sandersfeld had asked the library board to pay for ice melt and suggested that the city may stop clearing the library parking lot or sidewalk, requiring the library to pay for it out of its budget.

Dacey said he and the library board believed that Sandersfeld was suggesting they would be held liable if someone slipped on library property during winter weather. “I would say that the liability falls on the library board to make sure that the grounds are maintained,” wrote Sandersfeld in an email provided by the library board.

“You aren’t individually liable for the corporation of the board you’re on,” said Tindal, and as an attorney, Dacey would know that.

If the library board needed clarification as to its liability, it could have asked the city attorney, Tindal said. “No one reached out to me.

“I just encourage you to, instead of drawing battle lines … just ask the council for what you want,” Tindal said.

Sandersfeld manages the city and is looking out for the budget, Grier said. “Every department has had to make tough decisions and had to cut back on staff and supplies,” he said.

Dacey said that having the city clear the parking lot saves money and that Sandersfeld admitted that in the email when he said the city started removing the snow at the library itself “to help save on budgetary expenses.”

It would cost more to hire out for the service, said Dacey, who assumed that the city was paying about $14 an hour to its street crew to clear the snow.

Sandersfeld said the employees are paid about three times that — $46 an hour.

Library board members said they didn’t know that and weren’t getting answers to their questions, which is why they came before the city council.

Copies of emails between Sandersfeld and librarian Briana White show that White asked four questions on behalf of the board Nov. 14 and Sandersfeld replied with answers to the questions Nov. 17.

White was not able to attend the meeting.

Sandersfeld said he first approached White about having the library pay for ice melt in July after Iowa County volunteered to buy ice melt for the county properties in Williamsburg that the City of Williamsburg plows.

Councilman Jake Tornholm said he was surprised by the confrontation. He thought the city and library had a good relationship, he said.

“I love the library being separate from the city,” said Tornholm. The city owns the property and provides money, but the daily workings of the library are governed by the library board.

But if the city is providing salt for the library, Tornholm expects the library to pay for it, he said.

Library board members said they don’t mind paying for the salt, though White’s email said the board wanted to know “what happens if the library declines to purchase its own ice melt. Since the library is city-owned property, any accidents or injuries would fall under the city’s insurance. From their perspective, it seems in the city’s best interest to ensure the sidewalks and paring lot are safe for all patrons and staff.”

Library board members said they were blindsided by the bill for $850 for salt sent them by the city.

Tindal said it wasn’t an invoice, it was an estimate of the cost of a pallet of salt. The city wouldn’t ask the library to buy more until all of that salt is gone, which Sandersfeld estimated would be two years.

Members of the library board agreed to buy salt, and Sandersfeld said the city would continue plowing the library’s parking lot.