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<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>Betty Roccograndi</p><p>Zeroing In</p></bylineMeta></div><style>
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<div class="neCaption">Betty Roccograndi Zeroing In </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/web1_20141024_143817-1-1-.jpg</photo0><caption0>Betty Roccograndi Zeroing In </caption0></div></div>
<p>A serious lack of transparency isn&#8217;t the only thing plaguing the Plymouth Public Library.</p><p>The library may be facing a federal lawsuit because its director allegedly told a paralyzed woman she needed permission before bringing her service dog into the, yes, public facility.</p><p>You see, there&#8217;s this little thing called the Americans With Disabilities Act.</p><p>Last week, I wrote about several complaints from former and present library board members that library director Suzanne Youngblood gets defensive and sometimes combative when questioned about library business, which is rather incredible considering she is an employee, not the owner, of the public library. Board member David Bonawits, who represents the Kiwanis on the board, said he can&#8217;t even get a straight answer on the amount of the library&#8217;s electric bill.</p><p>Youngblood&#8217;s contract remains a big secret even though she is paid with public funds. Neither Youngblood nor library board President Judy Rittenhouse returned calls last week for comment. Maybe they don&#8217;t realize that their refusal to answer questions only reinforces what others are saying, that this is a library operation shrouded in secrecy. It is a library that also screams out for a state audit.</p><p><strong>Board secretary seeks answers</strong></p><p>Board Secretary Mary Jarrett, one of the few board members who is asking questions, said she can&#8217;t make heads or tails out of the printouts of expenses Youngblood provides. She said there are so many inconsistencies she&#8217;s not sure how library funds are being spent. One month Youngblood informs the board what the bank balance is then in others she doesn&#8217;t. Jarrett said health care coverage is sometimes lumped together with wages leaving the board to guess what the breakdown is.</p><p>A library handbook issued by the state of Pennsylvania states that the library&#8217;s &#8220;Trustees bear ultimate responsibility for the library&#8221; and that, &#8220;Responsible oversight for these financial resources is crucial to guarantee a positive financial picture.&#8221;</p><p>Apparently some board members are not living up to those responsibilities. Jarrett said some members simply trust Youngblood and don&#8217;t question her.</p><p>Well they might want to start.</p><p><strong>Larksville resident plans suit</strong></p><p>A Larksville resident who is paralyzed from the waist down is planning to sue the library because when she visited there last year, she was told she needed permission to bring her dog inside. She said Medusa accompanies her to physical therapy appointments, restaurants and the supermarket and has flown on planes with her six times. The woman asked that her name not be used. She said Youngblood gave the directive through a library worker.</p><p>The woman said her highly trained service dog has been to Disney World with her &#8220;and has met Mary Poppins and Donald Duck. But, she is not allowed in the Plymouth Public Library.&#8221;</p><p>Jiminy Cricket!</p><p>She said she went back to the library without her dog to give a copy of the ADA law to Youngblood but the library director said she knows the law and &#8220;did not want the paper work.&#8221;</p><p>I wanted to ask Youngblood about this but when she returned my call two weeks ago, and I told her there were some complaints and concerns about the library operation, she responded, &#8220;I don&#8217;t believe we&#8217;re going to have this conversation.&#8221;</p><p>How in this day and age someone in a position of authority is not mindful of the ADA and the potentially costly ramifications for violating it is puzzling.</p><p>Did I mention that this is a public entity with a budget of more than $100,000, which is funded from various public sources and private donations?</p><p><strong>Questions about funds</strong></p><p>Speaking of private donations, Plymouth Borough Councilman Jim Mahon said he tried for months to find out what became of the $54,529.33 the Plymouth Swimming Pool Association transferred to the library after the money raised was not enough to pay for a borough swimming pool.</p><p>He finally filed right to know requests with Youngblood, board member Michael Hudacek Jr. and the state.</p><p>Youngblood responded June 15 that no stipulations were set on how the money could be spent and that it was used with other donations to keep the library operational. &#8220;&#8230;therefore it would be impossible to distinguish exactly how the Plymouth Swimming Pool Association&#8217;s donation had been distributed during that time.&#8221;</p><p>Satisfied, Jim?</p><p>What was stipulated, however, was that a bronze plaque be placed in the library recognizing the library&#8217;s benefactors, Mahon said.</p><p>Youngblood informed him &#8220;that a bronze plaque was placed on the wall in the Plymouth Public Library long ago honoring the generous donation.&#8221; She said she visited Attorney Blythe H. Evans, the custodian of the donated money, at St. Luke&#8217;s Villa &#8220;prior to his passing and he strongly approved of the plaque &#8230;&#8221;</p><p>But did he approve or even know that the plaque was not bronze? According to Mahon, it&#8217;s either masonite or wood.</p><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta>Betty Roccograndi is a Wyoming Valley resident and award-winning journalist. Zeroing In appears weekly.</shirttailMeta></div>

Zeroing In: More trouble brewing at Plymouth Public Library?