Library employee says city-constructed staff parking is being used by Springfield Museums

Elizabeth McKinstry, a librarian at Springfield's Central Library, told the City Council on Sept. 15 that a parking lot the city constructed adjacent to the library to keep staff from crossing State Street is now being used by Springfield Museums staff.

McKinstry said she and other library employees were "thrilled" when the crosswalk and adjacent lot were completed, but that a July 8 memo from Kaye Simpson, CEO of the Springfield Museums, forbade library staff from using the lot. "A private institution is now dictating where city employees can park in a parking lot constructed by the city," McKinstry told the council. She said the museum's staff parked there "almost entirely" and that library management denied requests to allow staff to park after 5 p.m.

Why it matters: McKinstry said the lot reduces the need for staff to cross a busy street and that being excluded makes employees feel unsafe. She asked the council and the community to be aware of the parking restriction and said she was disappointed by the change after years of work on the safer crossing.

What the council did: McKinstry's comments were presented during the public speak-out portion of the meeting. The clerk recorded the testimony for referral and McKinstry asked the council to note the issue; no formal action was taken during the meeting.

Ending: McKinstry said she was speaking to protect staff safety and to call attention to what she described as an unfair situation where a city-constructed lot now primarily serves a private institution's staff.