Denies Conflict Between His Two Jobs
Reporters pressed Queens Library President and Chief Executive Officer Thomas Galante for answers regarding his salary and a side job during a roundtable briefing with the library’s board of directors Monday Feb. 23, at the Central branch.
After his approximately $392,000 yearly salary from the library was disclosed, Galante’s compensation has been a hot topic. Galante has also come under fire for continuing to work a side job for the Elmont Union Free School District in Nassau County.
Some lawmakers, specifically State Sen. Tony Avella, have called this a conflict of interest and urged Galante to resign.
Asked about his reaction to Avella’s comments urging him to resign, Galante said simply, “I have no reaction.” He went on to explain how he divides his time and responsibilities, and to explain that holding two jobs is not a conflict of interest.
“I probably put in close to one hundred hours a week at the library and about 20 in Elmont. He added, “most of that work is done either at their (Elmont) site or it’s done at my house. I do not do work for them (Elmont) here (at the library) or anywhere other than over at their place or mine. It’s that simple.”
He then went on to explain the nature of his duties for the school district.
“It’s financial work,” he said. “I’m monitoring their finances for them.”
Gabe Taussig, the chair of Queens’ library’s board of trustees wanted to make the board’s timeline and actions in response clear to everyone. According to Taussig, “the first expressions of concern, in fact, started the beginning of February.
Following a City Council hearing on the topic Feb. 6, Taussig says the board met the next day and authorized the chair of the administrative committee to “retain a consultant to help us deal with some of the concerns and issues vis-a-vis the compensation package for our president.”
Board Member Jackie Arrington added that in January New York State audit committees by Jul. 1 and that was before any issues surrounding Galante’s compensation were discussed. She said along with the consultants recommendations the board conduct “an oversight of the hiring of top level executives.”
