Open letter to Councilors by Christopher Ruthe
I have not written to the Council CEO as he refuses to respond to my correspondence, as does the Mayor.
As Chair of Restore Our Books Budget (ROBB) I have been endeavouring to find out whether libraries will be opening on Thursday as sanctioned by the Prime Minister.
Ratepayers’ mental health and well-being require access a.s.a.p. I have e-mailed and phoned KCDC.
Your automated phone response has failed to be updated to Level 2 requirements. The Council’s inability to have actual staff answering queries when they are all working makes the absence of supplying up-to-date information in excusable.
From the information I have been able to ascertain, the libraries are not ready to open on Thursday because plans have not been filed concerning the rules to be applied.
Staff have had 6 weeks to so plan. They knew the libraries would open some stage. They have all been on full wages, yet apparently the PM’s announcement yesterday, foreshadowed by her a week earlier, including advice libraries would be opening, caught KCDC by surprise and it was unprepared.
One would have thought the first priority would be the return and letting out of books. That is a simple matter of distancing. Supermarkets have done it for weeks. The use of libraries as reading room means have chairs apart as in cafés. For computer use, distancing, perhaps masks, and cleaning of hands before and after use.
As elected representatives, please act immediately. I would appreciate the courtesy of at least an acknowledgement of receipt.
Thanking you in anticipation of your early reply,
C. B. Ruthe
https://jtremaine.wordpress.com/2020/05/11/watch-it-has-begun-forcibly-removing-healthy-people-from-their-homes-against-their-will-on-youtube/
The council staff must be working, as the rates demand arrived on time in the mail, so no delay there. Cannot understand this council, especially in this community with so many older people using the library, not to be opening now that restrictions have been lifted beggars belief. Shows a disrespect to their rate payers and a culture that is unconcerned with services that should be considered obligatory.
I read in reference to another council’s library that returned books will be stored for days to ensure they are free from possible contamination with the virus. This virus is a new one and there is still much we don’t know about it, so we are all learning how to tackle it as we go. I am happy to wait while library staff set up processes that will protect both staff and us. I am sure the staff want to get it right! Be patient. These are unusual times.