Patti Manolis speaks out on Geelong council, GRLC funding fight

The corporation which manages the city’s libraries has had the “rug pulled out from under them”, its longtime former chief executive says.

Geelong mayor Trent Sullivan. Picture: Mark Wilson

The corporation which manages the city’s libraries has had the “rug pulled out from under them”, its longtime former chief executive says.

Former head of the Geelong Regional Library Corporation (GRLC), Patti Manolis, who oversaw libraries across the region’s five council areas for 14 years said the City of Greater Geelong council should provide extra funding requested by the GRLC.

“The council should be able to fund the $700k plus,” Ms Manolis said.
“The new Βoronggook Drysdale Library didn’t just appear overnight.

“There has been a significant amount of planning undertaken in its design, build and operations.

“In my view the GRLC has had the rug pulled out from under them.”

Patti Manolis. Picture: Alison Wynd

City of Greater Geelong councillors have disputed that it will cost $762,000 to run the Drysdale library in 2023-24.

GRLC said more funding is needed to run the new Drysdale library to meet staff an opening requirements.

The library is about now five times the size of its previous iteration following a redevelopment.

Geelong council will increase its cash contribution for libraries by $244,000 in 2023-24 to $12.24m but has baulked at repeated requests from GRLC for extra funding.

That move means the GRLC is proposing to close most City of Greater Geelong libraries on Saturday afternoons and Sundays, slash Geelong Heritage Centre services and warned some GRLC staff vacancies may not be filled.

The changes would be applied from July 1.

The decisions will need to be ticked off by the council and GRLC in coming weeks.

The GRLC has warned further changes to the operation of libraries in Geelong could be needed due to the funding shortfall.

Based on council’s estimate of City of Greater Geelong population next financial year, GRLC’s funding request equates to an extra $2.76 per City of Greater Geelong resident, or less than one cent per resident per day.

Council’s cash contribution to operate the city’s libraries in 2023-24 sits at $44.34 per resident.

This week City of Greater Geelong Mayor Trent Sullivan said: “Based on the current CoGG population estimate of 276,116 residents, our proposed $12.24m in cash contribution over the next financial year equates to $44.34 per resident.”

“This is well above the average spend of our immediate neighbours, and other large Victorian cities,” Mr Sullivan said.

“For example, on recent benchmarking, Ballarat invests $27.57 per resident, Bendigo $25.48 and Wyndham $30.33.

“Our $44.34 is well above.”

When asked if she felt CoGG was deliberately strong arming the GRLC, Ms Manolis said: “When you withhold funds that had been expected, with no discussion or consultation with GRLC or with the community I think that the effect is somewhat the same.”

Originally published as Patti Manolis speaks out on Geelong council, GRLC funding fight