After the Timberland Regional Library (TRL) sent layoff notices to 20% of its total staff over the weekend to address a $3.8 million budget deficit, the public and the union representing TRL employees are demanding accountability from the library district’s Board of Trustees.
Layoff notices went out Sunday, March 15, and TRL administrators confirmed Wednesday that many staff members called out this week in response, and that outside organizations were actively canceling events with TRL.
A new wave of public outrage crashed after the library workers union, AFSCME Local 3758-B, confirmed Monday that all 61 employees set to be laid off on May 15 are “frontline” library staff who work directly with patrons across the five-district library system.
That amounts to 38% of TRL’s frontline staff, according to the union. TRL sent layoff notices to 44 employees with the job classifications library assistant, librarian and public service specialist on Sunday after accepting 17 voluntary layoffs.
“Our union members are proud to serve the public. We serve our local communities and provide safe spaces for all community members to learn, use technology, and engage with literacy,” said Local 3758-B President Meghan Hall. “Losing so many dedicated library workers to layoffs is heartbreaking. It is inconceivable that frontline library workers bear the brunt of these cuts.”
No behind-the-scenes positions, including administrators, were included in the layoffs — a fact the union says is “Compounding the frustration of union library workers.”
TRL 2025 budget documents show 15 administrators and behind-the-scenes workers with annual salaries between $100,000 and $150,000.
Executive Director Cheryl Heywood had an annual salary of $206,788 for 2025. Her executive assistant’s salary that same year was $125,721, and the deputy director of public services’ salary was $169,525.
By contrast, the annual salaries for library assistants, librarians and public service specialists averaged between $25,000 and $70,000 in 2025.
“In difficult budget moments, workers expect solutions that reflect shared sacrifice across the organization, including consideration of leadership pay reductions before layoffs are implemented,” the union said in a news release, quoting a union member who chose to remain anonymous for fear of retaliation.
The sentiment was reflected by those who gave public comment at a hastily scheduled TRL Board of Trustees meeting on Wednesday, March 18.
“They need to feel the consequences as much as the frontline staff did,” one commenter said of TRL administrators.
Despite the agenda being posted with less than 24 hours notice, 300 people were present for the virtual meeting on Zoom.
One commenter noted that 300 is the max number of attendees allowed on a Zoom call, and more would be there if they could. The Board of Trustees meetings are virtual and do not provide an in-person attendance option.
Many who spoke again called for Heywood and fellow administrators Andrea Heisel and Brenda Lane to be removed for their role in creating the budget crisis.
“If I did such a subpar job, I would be fired,” one commenter said.
Most commenters expressed their disappointment in the Board of Trustees for being complicit in creating the current budget crisis and acting against the public’s wishes on Feb. 25 by giving Heywood blanket authority to lay off staff.
“You voted for the layoffs anyway, so don’t tell me that you care,” one commenter said. “This is disgusting what you’re doing, so don’t tell me you appreciate people’s comments.”
“We don’t believe you, we don’t trust you, and you’ve given us no reason to,” another public commenter told the board.
“I am disgusted and if you had any decency, so would you all be,” another commenter said.
Many supported the call for an independent audit into TRL’s finances.
The board ultimately cut off public comments after 45 minutes.
“I know a lot of other folks would like to speak. I wish we had time for that and for the business that we have to conduct,” said Board of Trustees president Brian Mittge.
While not an item on the agenda, Mittge said the point of the meeting was to talk about additional cost cutting measures.
That discussion involved giving administrators an opportunity to address claims and criticisms made by the public, and to explain how suggestions to cut costs, outside of what they’d already done, were impractical.
In protest, many of the 300 meeting attendees spammed the “hand raise” button on the Zoom call — an action that a board member had called a public commenter out for prior in the meeting.
An online petition with demands to TRL that include requiring budget transparency, amending the requirements to serve on the board of trustees to widen eligibility and replacing directors and administrative staff had approximately 1,459 signatures as of Thursday afternoon.
Community members and library advocates are also organizing an email campaign asking the county commissioners TRL’s five member counties to take action.
One citizen disclosed to the Thurston Chronicle on Thursday that they have filed a complaint to the State Auditor’s Office.
