Brawley Library ▬ Cutbacks Forced Brawley’s Marjo Mello To Run Two City Departments With Little Or No Staff

Lonely days: Cutbacks Have Forced Brawley’s Marjo Mello To Run Two City Departments This Year With Little Or No Staff

LEARN IV

IV Press Online: 11.05.2020 by Vincent Osuna

Marjo Mello had to swallow a very bitter pill when the Brawley City Council finalized this year’s fiscal year budget, which was heavily impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

In order to finish with a balanced budget, the council chose to fund only services deemed “essential” — a list the Brawley Public Library did not make.

This made Mello’s 28th year as the library’s director a lonely one, as all her staff was laid off until the end of the fiscal year.

From March until August, Mello was the only soul in the 8,000-square-foot building that serves as the library’s Main Street branch. She even worked from home for a couple of months.

A second hat Mello wears for the city was also blown off, as the Parks and Recreation Department was also deemed non-essential.

Mello has been that department’s interim director for more than two years.

“Before I started with them, my parks and rec knowledge was driving by the park,” Mello said.  READ MORE ➤➤

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