Fitchburg library cut to 3 days - Sentinel & Enterprise

[Janey]

In response to this article, I personally would want to move from Fitchburg if there was no library. My toddler and I go there 1-2 times a week after work and I'm trying to show her how we should appreciate and use the library as a wonderful resource.

Although not ideal, I'm glad that the library will remain open for 3 days instead of closing it altogether. Many people use this facility and many children are there after school when they can be hanging out on the streets instead, doing other activities. One problem at this time is the internet and how many of us rely on it. I realize that the internet is a great tool for everyone, however, people still need to know how to research information on their own at the library and appreciate the books, cd's and dvd's and other services it offers. Sometimes, unfortunately what we research on the computer may unknowingly come from an unreliable source which is why the library is important to many, especially the students of Fitchburg.

I think taking the library away from people and from our youth is sending the wrong message and will not serve them well as they advance to junior high, secondary and post-secondary institutions.

[sonny brisebois]

Adam wrote:

<quoted text>
No, how dare you?
Ok so lets cut everything in the city except the library. Come on huh! You are ridiculous.
EVERYTHING HAS TO BE CUT! What part of that don't you get.
You all (75%) wanted change. Have you already forgot what you wanted change from?
Did you think she was going to produce a balanced budget, cut waste and give you money back.
Or was there a fairy godmother we don't know about.
Honestly.
Instead you complain about the person you hired to fix this mess and she has only just got started.
We are broke and need to fix the problem.
You should all be stepping up and asking, what can I do to help.
I see you have a lot to say online .\
Want to get involved? Go down to the mayors office and say, how can I help?.
Or are you one of those who lives week to week buying anything they want and behind in all your bills. You have to pay the piper eventually. Now is the time. Stop whining.

Adam BITE ME

[sonny brisebois]

SCATT wrote:

I am educated and also live here in the city. What will draw home owners is the cheap cost of housing not the Dewey Decimal System that the city is operating.
Sad.....yes
Tragic....Not so much.
All everyone ever complains about is the poverty and lower class, saying that Fitchburg is over run with drug dealers and heroin addicts. Those people, my friends here online, do not need library resources.
On another note, this problem was dropped into Lisa's lap. All of you need to stop acting as if she herself ran the library into the ground over the course of a few months.

No Scatt W(why would anyone take a moniker that denotes play with feces) she may not be able to take full responcibily. However Ms. Wong has had her hand in the reformation of the city for quite some time, in the planning office in many different capacities. So if anyone in the corner office is to blame it's her and her friends in the old boy network... She was there for the beginning of the mess that is now Fitchburg and her supporters have created their own club... let's Club Fitchburg into the ground so we can start over again from scratch. She may envision the wonders of a new Fitchburg but it doesn't include us. The peoples who sustained this city and whose forebears( and uncles ) built most of the charming comfortable housing that exists in this city (not to mention Coggshall).I am ashamed of this reformist city and it's so called progressive Mayor, and I've always been proud of Fitchburg.

[adam]

sonny brisebois wrote:

<quoted text>Adam BITE ME

Yep, thats what I thought.

[Stevie]

sonny brisebois wrote:

<quoted text>
No Scatt W(why would anyone take a moniker that denotes play with feces) she may not be able to take full responcibily. However Ms. Wong has had her hand in the reformation of the city for quite some time, in the planning office in many different capacities. So if anyone in the corner office is to blame it's her and her friends in the old boy network... She was there for the beginning of the mess that is now Fitchburg and her supporters have created their own club... let's Club Fitchburg into the ground so we can start over again from scratch. She may envision the wonders of a new Fitchburg but it doesn't include us. The peoples who sustained this city and whose forebears( and uncles ) built most of the charming comfortable housing that exists in this city (not to mention Coggshall).I am ashamed of this reformist city and it's so called progressive Mayor, and I've always been proud of Fitchburg.

You are so out of touch. You can't possibly be serious.
Even when she was at Fitchburg Redevelopment they wouldn't let her in the ol'boy network. They were afraid of her then.
You and your landlord buddies created this mess. You are delusional as you were on voting day if you see her as anything but a possible source of salvation for the city.

I am not sure if she is going to be 100 percent
about everything, but I feel very strongly that her course is based on facts, intelligence and educated decisions.
Not on what the boys want...or their buddies.

Definately not politics as usual. Praise the Lord.

[Eddie]

SCATT wrote:

I am educated and also live here in the city. What will draw home owners is the cheap cost of housing not the Dewey Decimal System that the city is operating.
Sad.....yes
Tragic....Not so much.
All everyone ever complains about is the poverty and lower class, saying that Fitchburg is over run with drug dealers and heroin addicts. Those people, my friends here online, do not need library resources.
On another note, this problem was dropped into Lisa's lap. All of you need to stop acting as if she herself ran the library into the ground over the course of a few months.

Here, here! You tell em.

[sonny brisebois]

Stevie wrote:

<quoted text>
You are so out of touch. You can't possibly be serious.
Even when she was at Fitchburg Redevelopment they wouldn't let her in the ol'boy network. They were afraid of her then.
You and your landlord buddies created this mess. You are delusional as you were on voting day if you see her as anything but a possible source of salvation for the city.
I am not sure if she is going to be 100 percent
about everything, but I feel very strongly that her course is based on facts, intelligence and educated decisions.
Not on what the boys want...or their buddies.
Definately not politics as usual. Praise the Lord.

I have worked with the CDC to try to make this city more livable for everyone. I don't have any landlord buddies except my own elderly landlady who I assist with the minor chores around the apt.bldg (you know, quality of life things like sweeping the sidewalk and picking up the trash around the street) and I love this city. I love the city not the Mayor. I am all in favor of positive change but not at the expense of one of the positive talking point of Fitchburg. So if the new mayor is determined to strip this city down like the republicans before her, so be it, but this city will never forgive her and if she is such a maverick than she is certainly looking to use this office as a starting point for her obvious hopes of a meteoric rise in politics.
Ask yourself, how are you contributing, how are you sacrificing for this city. Are you giving of yourself to volunteer where the city needs it, The elderly neighbor, the handicapped, in your street or when you're walking down Main St do you bend over to pick up the trash or just say "our politics will save everything" Let's close the access that those least of us won't have someplace to nourish their minds. And If I see you say everyone has computer these days I will again object and how would you know who is being affected by this removal of the right to the written word. You and your fellow Library hater Adam seem to have the affliction of the young. You don't see beyond your nose. Be careful what solutions you choose to get behind. With every IMPROVEMENT come a dozen problems with it. If you don't have a specific end result in mind with most of the variables taken into account and receive consensus approval from the elected and then proceed very cautiously you may affect change and improve things in a real way. These things evolve and evolution takes a lot of time. No, from you guys it's "Hurry, let's close the library, that will take care of the problems, right. Slow down and Grow up.

[sonny brisebois]

adam wrote:

<quoted text>
Yep, thats what I thought.

Adam are a coward, because that is what I've always heard about people who "suppose" things publicly about others and don't use your full or real name.Are you Yella. If you're not ready to come out of the closet, that's ok. Someday maybe you will use your whole name and take responsibility for your pointed opinions and accusations.
Quote "Or are you one of those who lives week to week buying anything they want and behind in all your bills. You have to pay the piper eventually. Now is the time. Stop whining."End Quote

Well you little pischer, most of America is living week to week and many of us may be forced to buy groceries and wait a week on the oil bill but that doesn't mean we are bad people or that we don't deserve a functioning full time library. Most of the citizens of this city have done nothing to pay the piper for. They live, work, pay taxes and expect that things will go alright because they are doing their part, keeping up their end of the bargain. So if you are going to loose the Library, give us some time to get used to it. This is not slash and burn. This is my (our)lifetime home, born and raised. So we "the out of touch" may not be as out of it as some say because we've been there and seen it all before. Non natives coming here and Closing down the Library will be seen far and wide as the last straw for the habitability of Fitchburg.

[Hmm]

So...how would you propose balancing the budget Sonny? Something needs to be cut, and no matter what the cut...it will be a loss to the city.....but it needs to be about priorities. Fire, Police, Schools are must haves. The schools have lost a huge amount of money in the past 8 years. The fire and police are taking the huge cuts this year. Where should the money come from, Sonny? Anyone know where the Wallace endowment is??

[Eddie D]

sonny brisebois wrote:

<quoted text>I have worked with the CDC to try to make this city more livable for everyone. I don't have any landlord buddies except my own elderly landlady who I assist with the minor chores around the apt.bldg (you know, quality of life things like sweeping the sidewalk and picking up the trash around the street) and I love this city. I love the city not the Mayor. I am all in favor of positive change but not at the expense of one of the positive talking point of Fitchburg. So if the new mayor is determined to strip this city down like the republicans before her, so be it, but this city will never forgive her and if she is such a maverick than she is certainly looking to use this office as a starting point for her obvious hopes of a meteoric rise in politics.
Ask yourself, how are you contributing, how are you sacrificing for this city. Are you giving of yourself to volunteer where the city needs it, The elderly neighbor, the handicapped, in your street or when you're walking down Main St do you bend over to pick up the trash or just say "our politics will save everything" Let's close the access that those least of us won't have someplace to nourish their minds. And If I see you say everyone has computer these days I will again object and how would you know who is being affected by this removal of the right to the written word. You and your fellow Library hater Adam seem to have the affliction of the young. You don't see beyond your nose. Be careful what solutions you choose to get behind. With every IMPROVEMENT come a dozen problems with it. If you don't have a specific end result in mind with most of the variables taken into account and receive consensus approval from the elected and then proceed very cautiously you may affect change and improve things in a real way. These things evolve and evolution takes a lot of time. No, from you guys it's "Hurry, let's close the library, that will take care of the problems, right. Slow down and Grow up.

Huh? What are you on?

[sonny brisebois]

Eddie D wrote:

<quoted text>
Huh? What are you on?

Anger and frustration. That is what I'm on.

[Eddie D]

sonny brisebois wrote:

<quoted text> Anger and frustration. That is what I'm on.

We are all frustrated. There is no room for anger during these trying times. Everyone has an oppinion and we need to keep level heads. Don't panic.

[sunshine]

I am a former resident of Westminster who now lives in suburban Chicago. I fondly remember my trips to the Fitchburg Library. I was shocked to hear your libary funding and hours would be cut back. I think the mayor is wrong for focusing so many of the cuts there. Libraries are a reflection on the health and desireability of the community. Education minded familites will not want to move into a city who can't operate their libary. My town is getting ready to build a new $26 million library for 38,000 people. I saw nothing wrong with the old one. They are tearing it down. It is open everyday, 12 hours a day, except 8 hours on Sunday. Our school district serving just two high schools succcessfully passed a $99 million referendum to put additions and repairs on the high schools - including a 2nd swimming pool, 3rd gym, new track, student lobby, and all the bells an whistles. It wasn't even that we needed extra classrooms, just wanted to "keep up with the Jones" and have the "best" high school and support the future of our community (real estate prices of our houses). I am amazed at the differences in our communities now. Of course my house tax bill is $7,000 and my husband is a retired teacher here.