JARRETT GOODMAN
Staff Writer
A resolution, introduced by Commissioner Ruric Brandt during last month’s meeting, to allow the County Commission distribution of funds to all libraries across the county has recently passed.
The idea for the distribution of funds was first introduced by Commissioner Paul Schafer during the Commission’s May meeting. Because of concerns regarding the Library Board’s handling of funds he felt the Commission needed to direct all allocated funds to the main libraries across the county into equally divided amounts.
Attorney William Gouger explained in detail how under the county’s budget, $300,100 of appropriated funds are in place for all library services throughout Marion County. When asked if changes were made to the resolution by Commissioner Steven Franklin , Gouger noted how the resolution has been changed during a workshop meeting to accommodate both for the libraries who are to stay with the countywide Library Board and the ones separating themselves from the Board entirely. He further stated how funds would be divided and distributed to both the libraries which have become independent, referencing the Beene Pearson and Carolyn Stewart Public Libraries, as well as to the Library Board for libraries still under the Board’s oversight.
“It authorizes that disbursement either to the county Library Board for South Pittsburg and Whitwell if they are still members, and then directly to Jasper. Or if South Pittsburg and Whitwell follow through with withdrawing, then it allows the appropriation to be directly to those cities,” explained Gouger.
During the discussion, Commissioner Don Adkins asked if whether the Library Board goes away if the resolution passes, which William stated if adopted the resolution would essentially allow defunding to be conducted towards the Library Board, with one third of the funds going towards the Board if a library chooses to remain under its supervision. Before the vote, Commissioner Adkins felt Whitwell’s Board of Mayor & Aldermen needed time to make a decision for the Orena Humphreys Public Library’s future, especially to either stay with the Board or separate from them. He particuarlily felt they needed time amidst the same evening in which the community hosted a public meeting on voting to pass or turn down a $.22 increase in property taxes. Commissioner Brandt, however, stood for the resolution’s passage, as he felt all three communities are more than capable of overseeing each library independently.
“I think they’re smart people and they can do it,” stated Brandt.
The vote to divide and disperse all library funding directly to all libraries had been approved by the Board of Mayor & Commissioners during the Board’s June meeting. An additional motion made by Ruric to have the Library Board be further examined by the Ethics Committee also passed during the meeting.
