Trending
The letter to you published on Aug. 24, titled MPL boardroom antics pt. 10, featured a Statement of Concern rejected from an MPL agenda. In the Sept. 15 MPL board meeting, board members failed to perform their appointed duties as requested in the Statement and failed to resign for reasons also listed in the Statement. Instead, during comment time recent appointee Lea Husak, referred to pressure from patrons as bullying. If bullying includes patron/citizens exorcizing the right and importantly, the duty to hold appointed TRUSTees accountable, then the label is accurate. Characterization of patrons/citizens by a public official, in that manner demonstrates disdain for them. If a person didn't know better, they would think the board owns the library.
The most recent attempt at patron compromise mentioned in the Statement is the offer of a free subscription to MPL of a Spanish language weekly newspaper of their choice, as long as it is displayed along with the Epoch Times, WSJ, TR, and DM Register. At the time designated by meeting policy for discussion of that item, silence was the response. And of course, policy revision in 2023 eliminated patron-initiated responses. That revision and others are clearly demonstrations of disdain toward patrons/citizens by a city department. And the city does nothing.
After some foot dragging, and the request, MPL will begin to live-stream board meetings on YouTube like city council meetings.
To satisfy a request, MPL will also publish the board packet along with meeting agendas.
Now, to accommodate patron/citizens potential ability to keep tabs on the hostile board’s workings, a lenient board meeting public participation procedure is in order. Employing the County Supervisors procedure would be a good start.