Multiple Limestone County residents voiced concerns about the commission’s progress in updating the current makeup of the Athens-Limestone County Public Library Board at its regularly scheduled work session Monday, June 17.
“This commission has voluntarily forfeited their duty in following policy, and being fiscally responsible, and serving the best interest of their constituents,” Elizabeth Stewart said. “Please stop with backroom deals that work for you all, and start working to govern properly, which is appointing people and having accountability when money is handed out.”
The Athens-Limestone County Public Library Board currently does not have any appointees from the county despite tax money from the county being used to help fund the library.
Issues with the library board originally arose months ago after explicit material was deemed suitable for younger sections of the facility.
“Limestone County not only deserves to have a voice on the library board, but it should be mandatory,” Kandy Smith said. “I know each one of you have children, and I know the harm these books are causing our children. We don’t know why our children are getting so angry, maybe the books are a part of it.”
The topic has been vehemently discussed at great lengths in past county commission meetings. On June 4, the commission unanimously passed a resolution that will allow for the creation of a joint library board with the city.
The goal of the commission is to have at least two of the five board members of the library board be appointed by the county. The county commission has set Oct. 1 as the deadline to come to an agreement with the city on the issue, before the start of the new fiscal year.
“We have been working hard with the city on this issue, but we don’t want to rush into something that gets us into an even bigger situation,” Collin Daly told The News Courier after the Monday meeting. “Now we may have this issue solved before Oct. 1, so we’ll be vetting here shortly for our new board appointments.”
Daly explained that there have been no “backroom deals” of any kind between the commission and the library board, noting the conversations he has had with the city to resolve the issue.
“We have met with my attorney and the city attorney to move forward on this, and everybody has been in agreement with our two board appointments,” Daly said. “The process we are currently working through is figuring out if we should dissolve the board and appoint five new ones with our two appointments there.”
In other business the commission:
— Approved claims, from May 31 through June 14, totaling $2,573,304.63.
— Approved a resolution to oppose the use of tax or fees imposed on the public to pay for construction or operation of a privately owned zoo.
— Approved a resolution to set a public hearing for 9 a.m. on Aug. 5 on the county’s solid waste management plan.
— In a 3-2 split decision vote by Daly, the commission approved the application for a Homeland Security Port Security Grant for a patrol boat for the Limestone County Sheriff’s Department.
— Approved a memorandum of agreement with the town of Lester for work on Davis Hill Road and Audra Lane, “Lester Streets.” The estimated cost of the work is $45,248.68, which will be reimbursed by the Town of Lester.
— Approved a budget revision and a bid with the sheriff’s department.
— Approved the hire of Anahi Feria-Pena and Jena Lansdell as corrections officers, pending a drug screening.
— Approved various merit increases for county employees.
— Approved 11 preliminary and final subdivision lots in the county.