With Jackson County considering leaving the regional library system, Macon County residents showed up at the Board of Commissioners meeting on May 13 to voice their support for the library.
On May 6, the Jackson County Board of Commissioners directed its county manager to look at possible scenarios for the Jackson County Public Library to leave the Fontana Regional Library system, which serves Jackson, Macon and Swain counties.
The decision sparked concern within the FRL service area that other boards might discuss or make similar decisions. Defenders of the library system were encouraged by advocates through social media to attend meetings in Macon, Jackson and Swain counties as well as the FRL’s trustees meeting in Cashiers last week. Advocates expressed concern that the dissolution of the library system would reduce resources available for each member library to conduct programs for the public.
Affirmation from multiple commissioners that there was no intention of withdrawing from the FRL sparked a round of applause from the crowd. Commissioner Barry Breeden said, “I would just like to go on the record again saying that I am not interested in pulling out of the FRL. I don’t think that’s something that we’re interested in doing as a board either.”
“I think this is the third meeting in a row that we’re addressing that we have no intentions of pulling out of the FRL,” said Commissioner Danny Antoine. “We signed a contract and that’s not our intention at all. I think in light of the recent developments in Jackson County, I’d like to say we have no control over what other counties do. If they decide to do something like pull out, that’s a Jackson or Swain County issue, it’s not a Macon County issue. If that happens, we might have to revisit this and figure out how to move forward … I understand how important this is.”
Young took a moment to ask if any commissioners had any desire to withdraw from the FRL, at which point Commissioner John Shearl responded.
“I have no desire for Macon County to be back in the library business,” Shearl said, “but as a sitting commissioner, some of the things we have fought in the library, I am not willing to let those things come back to the library. The library needs to be neutral; it does not need to promote any sexuality for anyone, it does not need to have feminine products in the men’s restroom or the boy’s restroom. We just got an American Pope. I read about … what the new Pope Leo stands for. He references the twisted-up stuff in the western part of the world, and it’s us. We should not be promoting any sexual ideology on any youth.
“I have gay friends,” Shearl continued, drawing scoffs from the crowd. “I have gay clients. I have a distant family that’s child is a transgender. I hate no one, but if I don’t want my grandchildren, or my kids or anyone else focusing and walking through the doors and seeing what started this library issue … go in, do your job, let people decide what they want to read and be neutral.”
Speaker Betsy Baste thanked the board for words of support for the library system but referenced a leaked email from Macon County Public Library Trustee Leah Gaston, allegedly signed and sent by her husband, Jim, that encouraged the MCPL to exit the FRL.
“Leah Gaston’s email was used in contrast to what you gentlemen have stated,” Baste said. “Leah Gaston is on a board serving at your service and at your behest, so I’m going to ask that you remove her from the library board. Either her email or her husband says leaving the FRL needs to be discussed … by Macon and Jackson behind the scenes. That woman works for you, for this county. Why have you not censured her about that, talked to her about that, made it public that what that email said is wrong?”