The Prendergast Library art collection has been on display in the Prendergast Library’s Fireplace Room for the past several years.
JAMESTOWN – The Prendergast Library Board of Trustees has unanimously selected Sotheby’s to sell much of its art collection, despite pleas from several area residents who attended Thursday’s board meeting.
The action by the library board took place following nearly two years of effort by a group of area residents who’ve been working to “save the art” and keep the collection intact and in Jamestown, as intended when much of it was first purchased more than a century ago with money willed to the library from the estate of Mary Prendergast.
The most recent assessed value of the collection is $1.17 million, with the library planning to use proceeds from the auction to place in its endowment and use the interest generated to offset financial challenges in annual budget. It’s estimated such a plan would generate anywhere between $35,000 to $50,000 in additional money each year for the library, depending on how much the art actually sells for.
About two dozen people attended Thursday’s meeting, with ten of the attendees addressing the board at the start of the meeting. All but one spoke in favor of keeping the artwork.
Jamestown’s Peter Miraglia is one of several residents who spoke to the library board on Thursday, June 15 as part of an 11th hour effort to request the board not sell the library’s art collection.
Jamestown resident Pete Miraglia requested to board keep the collection, and work to leverage as both a fundraising and educational component of its programming.
“I appreciate that the library board provided the time for a buyer to step forward to keep the art in the community. However, as you know, a recent legal ruling made it virtually impossible to keep the art in Jamestown if it is sold,” Maraglia said, referring to a Surrogate Court decision announced last month that stated that if the artwork is sold, it can only be done through reputable auction house. “There are other ways to provide the library funds from the artwork. One way would be to lease the art to a group, who would house, maintain and promote it. This community has been bringing to life projects that a few years ago no one else could imagine. This is not the time to start going backwards.”
Another city resident, Timothy Starr, said the board was being shortsighted.
“It seems to me like there are options that haven’t been considered. It seems to me that the math doesn’t work very well,” Starr said. “If the collection is only worth one-plus-however-many million dollars, and if the salaries of the library alone are $700,000, or if [the sale proceeds] are added to the endowment and we get $35-$45,000 a year, why is it that that’s being considered as such a drastic solution that will have so little long-term benefit for us?”
And yet another area resident, Bill Locke, who’s also part of the save the art group, read a statement that was purportedly written by Jesse Marion, a Texas-based businessman. He and his wife Cathy, who is from the Jamestown area, are philanthropists who had offered to purchase the collection for its assessed value in order to keep it in Jamestown. That offer was turned down due to conditions outlined in the ruling by the Surrogate Cout.
“Libraries, newspapers and even books themselves are becoming extinct,” Locke read. “Art, however, can be an important cultural connection to our past and present for thousands of years. Is $30-50,000 a year from increased endowment really worth the destruction of a dream and a treasure? I think not.”
Part of the statement read by Locke also admonished the board for its decision to sell the collection, rather than work with community members to find an alternative solution.
“I suggest that the entire board resign and the library find new leadership with strong personal and financial commitment to the library, the city, and its citizens,” Locke said.
Jeff Holroyd of Jamestown defended the board’s decision to sell the art collection, saying that if residents were in favor of saving the art, they should have supported a public funding referendum for the library that failed in 2016.
Not all who spoke were against selling the artwork. Jeff Holroyd of Jamestown said the library really has no other option after residents failed to support it during last year’s failed funding initiative referendum.
“Everyone had the chance to come and vote and put it on the tax. I know everyone gets touchy about increased taxes, but it was out there and we wouldn’t be having that meeting today if it had passed last year,” Holroyd said, adding, “This isn’t a museum. The sign outside says its a museum but it’s not. Is there a curator here or downstairs qualified to take care of that art that’s deteriorating on a daily basis?”
Following the statements from the public, the board unanimously approved the Sotheby’s resolution with no discussion, comment, or response to any one who spoke or was in attendance. However, following the meeting, Prendergast Board president Tom Rankin said that he and the board remains sympathetic to the Save the Art supporters.
“I sympathize with the folks that want to keep the collection, I absolutely sympathize with them. I don’t want you to think otherwise,” Rankin said. “I think when those folks asked us to delay once again selling the art collection, the board felt strongly that we’ve waited long enough. We’ve suffered some financial setbacks beyond our control, and we really need to help ourselves at this point so we can keep the doors open.”
Rankin said that the terms of the contract with Sotheby’s is that the library will receive 100 percent of any final bid placed on any artwork that is sold at auction. He said that the media should check with Sotheby’s to get the specific details on how it will make its profit. It’s believed that will happen by assessing buyers fee on anyone who purchases a piece of art at auction.
The artwork will be sent to Sotheby’s in the coming weeks so it can be cleaned and prepared for auction, with the sale likely taking place in the fall.
The only artwork that will remain in possession of the Predengast Library are the pieces that have a direct connection to Jamestown’s and the surrounding area’s history, such as portraits of the Prendergast family.
I don’t believe for one moment that Mr, Rankin sympathizes with the people that want to keep the art in Jamestown. He has treated the public with disdain since this started. The Buffalo News documented this and used that word when they attended an earlier board meeting. If the board was so sympathetic it would have answered some of the questions asked of them last night instead of sitting there in a trance not moving or responding to anyone.
As to Mr. Holroyd’s point… I am totally convinced the library was on the path to selling the art whether or not they would have gotten the funding initiative. And yes, it is an art gallery too. It’s in it’s mission statement and it was what Mary Prendergast built the library as… a library AND an art gallery.
his is Jesse Marion’s Statement to the board: Part One
“It is unfortunate for the city of Jamestown and it’s citizens that the library board has such weak leadership. It is a continuation of same leadership that has destroyed the very dream the Prendergast family strived to create a strong community with growth and abundant work opportunities, religion, education and of course culture.
I would be very surprised if the combined financial contribution to the library by this board could even pay one months electric bill. No wonder the city and many foundations have reduced or eliminated their support of the library.
PART 2 You have not saved this library but doomed any hope that Jamestown will ever be more than a dying city.
Libraries, newspapers, and even books themselves are becoming extinct. Art however, can be an important cultural connection to our past and present for thousands of years.
Is $30,000-50,000 a year from an increased endowment really worth the destruction of a dream and a treasure? I think not!
I suggest that the entire board resign and the library find new leadership with a strong personal financial commitment to the library, the city, and its citizens.
Part Three
Cathy and I are forever grateful to the Save Local Art Committee who worked so selflessly in a heartfelt effort to save the collection with no potential personal gain for themselves.
Regards, Jesse Marion”
I. What I saw:
“…Tom Rankin said that he and the board remains sympathetic to the Save the Art supporters.” However, by the time the last of the statements were done, everyone on the board except Tommy stared sheepishly at the table. He stared defiantly into space as he addressed the board. As the article stated, “…the board unanimously approved the Southeby’s resolution with no discussion, comment, or response to any one who spoke or was in attendance.” Those who had given selflessly of their time and their hearts to save this precious collection of art were ignored. As the resolution was passed, I could feel the emotion of shock, disbelief, and grief in the room.
II. What I Think:
From what I’ve discovered, the city has been mismanaged for years, and we are now seeing this extension of incompetence manifested in the incredible bumbling about of the library board. I am not a Jamestown native so I have no bias toward the town or the art collection. What I do have is a very good education and experience that informs my observations. I’ve lived all over the USA and I’ve never seen such incompetence as I’ve seen in leadership here. In some ways, it’s like living in the middle of an old ’60’s TV show about a backward town where all the “leaders” are related. It seems to me that many positions of authority here are filled by a popularity selection that doesn’t consider true competence or qualifications.
III. What I Think:
The only thing that makes the changes we are seeing now in this city possible is the younger generation of professionals. They are coming back into the city with a fresh and unbiased outlook and ideas.
As far as last night debacle, it was obvious anyone with an ounce of good sense that the board was never open to any ideas for how to keep the art in Jamestown. Maybe someday all the incompetents will retire and allow someone with some fresh ideas and passion to step in and run the place. That is, if there’s a town and a library left by then.
IV. What I think:
I’m sure the library board has already culled all valuable books and sold them unbeknownst to the public. After all, as Jodi Blackman said in an earlier statement, the art is theirs to do with as they wish. According to that reasoning, they could argue that the books are also their property to do with as they wish. This line of reasoning suggests a question: Why did they think they had a right to ask for our tax money when we the public have no rights to decide what happens to the libraries “property”?
V. What I think:
The tax effort is a good example of the lack of forethought and strategy by the board “leadership”. Since it’s obvious that selling off the art assets has been planned for quite a while, had the tax effort passed, did they expect that taxpayers would have sat by meekly and allowed them to sell the art that they, the public, was paying the library to keep? Maybe so. After all, even city government has grown very used to having no accountability to the people who pay their salaries.
VI. What I’ve Observed:
What I’ve observed here is a history of an older generation of Jamestonians who have watched helplessly as the city declined through the years. It’s obvious the heart of the city got so used to being downtrodden and hopeless that now they just lay down and take the corruption and mismanagement. A sense of accountability to the people is badly needed in this town. It’s way past time for some big changes. I sincerely hope that the next mayoral election brings some competency and accountability into the city government.
As far as the library board, I just hope they don’t decide to cannibalize the books. I don’t imagine that the library is heated by an old wood burning or coal furnace in this day and time; I hope not, otherwise, this winter they will be burning books to keep their inflated salaries warm.