Despite community pushback, plans continue to shut down Northeast Dallas library
DALLAS - The Skillman Southwestern Branch Library in Northeast Dallas is still on the chopping block after a brief discussion by the Dallas Quality of Life Committee.
A petition to save the library branch has more than 1,700 signatures.
But despite the community-led petition to try to save the Skillman Library, there was no discussion of any alternatives to closure at Monday's Quality of Life Committee meeting.
In a memo to city council members last Friday, an assistant city manager says that the closure of the Skillman branch allows the library to offer expanded hours at its other locations.
The memo says the location has less poverty in the service area than other locations and that most of the patrons get there by car.
Dallas City Councilwoman Paula Blackmon suggested perhaps a city re
c center could fill in the gap.
"Maybe we can still get a service to people without calling it a library. We cannot have a siloed building for each activity," she said. "I know that people are not happy. But I completely understand that we’re in a budget season, we have a big pension bill do, and so we’re gonna have to do things differently as a city."
The Dallas Public Library’s director has suggested finding a partner location to place a library book vending machine.
The library would need to maintain the building until an alternative polling location is found. After that, the plan is for the city to sell the building.
The memo says there will be a $485,000 savings through reduced positions and a $27,000 savings through building services.
Featured
Former Dallas mayors support $30,000 pay raise proposal for city council members, mayor
In an editorial, 3 former mayors agreed that elected leaders' salaries should be adjusted to reflect increased costs of living. However, they disagree with the provision that would tie their salaries to automatic adjustments for inflation.