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QC09182014

20 The Queens Courier • september 18, 2014 for breaking news visit www.queenscourier.com BOARD SUSPENDS QUEENS LIBRARY PRESIDENT TOM GALANTE BY QUEENS COURIER STAFF editorial@queenscourier.com The Queens Library has shelved its president. The library’s board of trustees voted on Sept. 11 to suspend embattled library boss Tom Galante. Galante will continue to collect his $392,000 annual salary while on administrative leave, library officials said. His duties will be carried out by Bridget Quinn-Carey, the library’s executive vice president and chief operating officer. “Queens Library has a critical mission to provide information and education. It has long been a model of excellence,” Quinn-Carey said in a statement. “I look forward to working with the board of trustees, our elected officials and colleagues at all levels of the organization, including our union, to build on the library’s outstanding work. There are 2.3 million people depending on it.” Galante declined to comment. The board also voted to open its books for the city comptroller, Scott Stringer, to perform an audit on all financial data from the library, which receives 85 percent of its funding from taxpayer money. Galante and the board, which has seen 10 trustees removed or resigned, had refused to surrender the information, relying on a decades-old agreement with the city that allowed the comptroller to audit only that portion of the budget that came from public funds. That dispute, as well as a revelation in the Daily News that Galante was earning a hefty wage moonlighting for the Elmont school district, sent lawmakers into action, granting the borough president and mayor the power to remove board members for cause. Galante has also been under fire after the renovation of his office, which included a $27,000 outdoor deck, was revealed. In July, Borough President Melinda Katz fired six trustees and Mayor Bill de Blasio canned two. Two others resigned. Four new trustees have since been appointed. Six of the ousted trustees filed a lawsuit in August demanding to be reinstated. They were unsuccessful in getting an injunction to prevent their permanent removal, which became official after Katz rejected their appeals. The suit, which also demands monetary damages from Katz, is pending in Brooklyn Federal Court. Katz lauded the board’s decision, saying that it would allow them to “take immediate steps to improve the Queens Library’s governance and increase the transparency of its operations.” The library’s board of trustees voted on Sept. 11 to suspend embattled library boss Tom Galante. Jamaica Hospital Staff Advocates for Suicide Prevention Suicide is the third leading cause of death for youth between the ages of 10 and 24 in the United States. It is estimated that 4,600 lives are lost each year. These numbers are cause for great concern but with awareness and prevention can be decreased. With the reported average in occurrences and recent highprofile suicides, the question of what is suicide and can it be prevented have become popular topics in conversation. It is of the utmost importance that trained mental health professionals address concerns through public education and advocating for the awareness of suicide and suicide prevention. In support of Suicide Prevention week a team of doctors, residents and administrators under the leadership of Jamaica Hospital’s Dr. Seeth Vivek, Chairman of the Department of Psychiatry, raised awareness by displaying posters, making and distributing yellow ribbons; which represent the dedication to preventing youth suicide through education and public awareness campaigns. From L-R Drs. Lokasubramanian Askari PGY-3s; Dr.Madhu Rajanna - Director MHC; Dr.Bhatt-PGY3; Ms. Eagen-LCSW and Dr.Surdhar-PGY-4. Proceeds from the group’s efforts will benefit future community outreach campaigns. The psychiatric staff at Jamaica Hospital is available 24/7 for consultations, depression screenings, assessments and immediate care. The staff consists of a team of caring professionals which include psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers, creative arts therapists and nurses. Jamaica Hospital Medical Center serves a population greater than 1.2 million in Queens and eastern Brooklyn. This 424-bed medical center is an accredited community teaching hospital with a large network of community-based ambulatory care centers. JHMC offers an array of acute inpatient, rehabilitation and mental health services, and is one of the busiest Level 1 trauma centers in New York City. The hospital provides general medical, pediatric, and dental services, in addition to home health services. Jamaica Hospital Medical Center’s mission is to serve patients and the community in a way that is second to none. For additional information, please contact Public Affairs at 718-206-6020. ADVERTORIAL


QC09182014
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