New Milford Public Library lays off more than half of its staff
NEW MILFORD — More than half of the library’s staff has been laid off, leaving eight employees.
The move by the Board of Trustees comes as the board also searches for a new director after Jodi Weisz suddenly resigned from the role over the summer due to a family illness and moving out of state.
“The New Milford Public Library Board of Trustees has been forced to make difficult decisions,” the board said in a statement. “With reduced services and offerings we were forced, with regret, to reduce the number of employees at this time.”
Twelve part-time and one full-time employee were laid off, though the full-time employee decided to retire instead, Mayor Pete Bass said in an interview earlier this month.
The layoffs were done now because the library has limited services due to the coronavirus pandemic and the construction project to modernize and expand the library.
“They felt the need to pare down their operations,” Bass said, adding the library is only at 10 to 20 percent capacity.
The board plans to hire the employees back once the project is complete, which should take 18 months, according to meeting minutes from the Aug.
18 Library Board of Trustees meeting.
“The New Milford Public Library is experiencing challenging times with the COVID
19 concerns, major construction, downsizing of facility and offerings, and the sudden resignation of our director due to family illness and moving out of state,” the trustees said.
Weisz came on as the new director last fall and left this July. She previously worked as a librarian in Bridgeport.
Residents have raised concerns at several meetings about who is overseeing the current construction project, which costs $8.5 million, and regular business.
There is a modernization committee for the project and the trustees are searching for a new director and have created a committee that trustee Jolene Mullen is leading.
“The search committee will share on-going information with the community,” the trustees said.
The library remains open in the meantime with the day-today operations overseen by the library’s three supervisors: Library Technology Coordinator Peggy Ganong, Children’s Services Librarian Sue Ford and Public Services Librarian Sue Ford.
Residents are encouraged to call the library or view its website for information about services and programs.
“We are all looking forward to the grand reopening,” the trustees said.