An email message conspiring to find a way to leave the Fontana Regional Library system was the subject of many public comments at the Feb. 11 commissioners meeting.
The message came from the email of Leah Gaston, who before being appointed to the county library board was a critic of FRL, along with her husband Jim Gaston. The email, purportedly written by Jim Gaston, was sent to the wrong recipient and has since been publicly distributed.
Along with others, the couple has said the library needs to be neutral on social issues and has followed national trends of saying some books in the teen section are not appropriate due to sexual themes.
The copies of the email distributed don’t include the date or name of the recipient. The email creates a plan to work behind the scenes with county commissioners from Jackson and Macon counties to conspire to leave and break up FRL.
“Leaving the FRL needs to be discussed extensively by commissioners in Macon and Jackson behind the scenes with a ‘surprise’ decision to leave when the time comes as Yancey [County] voted unanimously to leave their regional system while the regional library director was conveniently out of town,” the email stated. The email further says if this gets out in the open, the “lunatic left will mobilize and come out in full force with all their tired lies to create huge controversy. It must be kept behind the scenes until action.”
Gaston’s email also says “economic reasons” need to be brought up as justification for Macon and Jackson leaving FRL.
David Germain asked the commissioners if there has been any consideration to leave FRL, to be open and transparent if they are, and prefers a “flat rejection” of the scheme. Betsy Baste handed out copies of the email and talked about Sunshine Laws that govern what elected officials can publicly discuss.
Heather Dombroskie read the email in its entirety, saying it’s causing the drama that it accuses their enemies of doing. Dombroskie said this is fixing something that isn’t broken.
“Why would we spend energy commandeering a library,” Dombroskie said. “I ask this, because if you are still of the mindset that this would be beneficial to fix something that is not only not broken but is operating fantastically, not only for Macon County but our neighboring counties, while there are very real and actual needs in our county; if you are still on the same bandwagon as the author of that letter, you are clearly not here to serve the people and instead, push your own agenda, desiring control and activism, just as that letter stated.”
The Franklin Press sent questions to both Jim and Leah Gaston regarding the email and left a phone message for Jim Gaston but did not receive a reply.
According to the interlocal agreement signed by Macon, Jackson and Swain counties in 2024, one of the counties can withdraw with notice given before July 1 of each year, to go into effect the following June 30. Additionally, the FRL would dissolve if two of the three counties voted to withdraw.
After the Feb. 11 public comment, commissioners board chair Josh Young said Macon County just signed a 10-year agreement with FRL “in good faith.”
The Franklin Press met with Young and Interim County Manager Warren Cabe on Jan 29 and 30, respectively, regarding the letter. Both said there had been no discussions about Macon County leaving the Fontana Regional Library system and reiterated that the county had just signed a 10-year agreement with FRL.