Direct regional board appointments by commissioners, shorter terms, transparency mandates and verbal public comment at meetings were some of the changes the Macon County Board of Commissioners unanimously approved and hope to get finalized in the revised Fontana Regional Library inter-local agreement.
The Macon County revisions are not yet final. The next step will be for the Jackson and Swain commissioners to vote on their versions. Neither county has taken up FRL changes at its meetings. The FRL Board of Trustees would also get to vote on the proposed changes, County Manager Derek Roland confirmed after the meeting.
The regional agreement was subject to its 10-year review in 2023. This comes after two years of the library being at the center of heated public comment sessions and comments regarding the idea of “pornography” being available in the children’s section. These arguments mirror similar ones made around the country by parents and activist groups regarding graphic novels aimed at young adults and teens, most of which feature LGBTQIA storylines, some of which include depictions of teenagers engaging in sexual acts.
Locally, the furor kicked off in June 2021 following a Pride Month display at the Macon County Public Library. It has since branched into people expressing their frustrations with what they feel was the Fontana Regional Library not addressing their concerns. Some called for Macon County to pull out of the FRL.
The commissioners said earlier this year Macon County would not try to leave the FRL system, which comprises six libraries in Macon, Jackson and Swain counties. These include the three public libraries in Macon County – the Macon County Public Library in Franklin, the Hudson Library in Highlands and the Nantahala Community Library in Nantahala. The commissioners did pledge to make some changes to the rules.
In the Macon County version of the changes, the purpose statement is amended to say the FRL shall operate “in a socially and politically neutral manner.”
The FRL Board of Trustee (BOT) membership is three representatives from each county for nine total. All trustees “shall be full-time, year-round residents of the county from which they are appointed” and serve no more than two terms of four years each. Currently, the rules are two terms of six years each.
In another change, the trustees would be directly appointed by the county commissioners. Currently, the nine-member Macon County Public Library Board of Trustees, appointed by the commissioners, selects the FRL BOT from its own board members.
“County commissioners may select from recommendations made by the county library board or the community at large,” a new part of the FRL BOT membership rules states.
Some call this new rule redundant since commissioners already appoint county library board members.
One new addition to the agreement is a line stating, “any time a majority of the commissioners determine that a library trustee from their county has failed to abide by the library’s by-laws and policies, they may be removed by the commissioners from that county.”
Macon County’s intended changes would mandate all meetings are videotaped and archived on the library’s website. Meetings also would be conducted according to the state’s Open Meetings Law, which would include public comment.
“There shall be a public comment period before each library board meeting with no less than three minutes allowed per speaker,” a new line proposed by Macon County states. “The comment period will be limited to 45 minutes. The library board may allow for additional time for public comments in the board’s discretion. The public shall be permitted to ask questions for clarification directly through the chair, who shall attempt to answer to the best of his or her ability.”
Currently, all FRL boards only accept written comments made by the Friday before the following week’s meetings. This has been enforced since February, when the FRL’s attorney Dr. Lynn Hogue of Atlanta recommended it following a series of chaotic meetings, including one in Highlands where police were called.
To adopt bylaws and policies, Macon County proposes that the FRL BOT would have to adopt a statement of intent, host a public hearing not more than 45 days after adopting the resolution of intent, post a notice of that hearing at least 10 days beforehand and act on the proposed change no earlier than the next regular meeting.
Another potential change is that FRL director job description, proposed budgets and audits must be posted online.
Disagreements on the agreement “shall be resolved first by committee representatives of two commissioners from each county, and then by their legal counsels, and if still not resolved, the FRL BOT.”
If one or more of the counties leaves, “the withdrawing unit may keep all assets/materials within their respective library(ies),” minus vehicles and finances. Previously, FRL would retain control of the materials.
Provisions for termination of the agreement are that it can be done at any time by any county or the FRL BOT. The dissolution section of the agreement remains the same, meaning if two of the three counties withdraw, the FRL dissolves.
Commissioner Danny Antoine, who has spoken about what he terms “filth” in the library, once again said “pornographic books” were being distributed. Antoine said he’s tired of the rhetoric that the two sides hate each other, a claim made most of the night on different subjects.
“It’s about protecting kids,” Antoine said, adding that some people deal with theory while he deals with applied theory.
A public commentator, Heather Johnson, got into a verbal back-and-forth with Antoine during the discussion. Johnson claimed that if the books were pornographic, why hadn’t Antoine called the police?
Commissioner Josh Young, who has rarely commented during FRL debates, said he feels the changes are in good faith and feels it’s healthy. Commissioner Gary Shields agreed with Young’s comments.
Commissioner John Shear said if he quoted some of the excerpts of the books in question, “there would be an issue.”
“In my mind, it must be stopped,” Shearl said of the spread of certain books to children. No commissioner or public commentor mentioned any specific books at this meeting.
During public comment, several people spoke against the proposed changes. Scott Baste said the library is already politically neutral and that politicians appointing library board members can’t be politically neutral.
“We need to leave the library alone,” Baste said. His wife, Betsy, spoke as well asking the commissioners to fix other issues such as human trafficking, issues with Angel Medical Center not handling births anymore, housing and more.
Olga Bader said the library isn’t broken and believes the Macon County revisions would make it easier to withdraw from the FRL. Bader said she did agree with the “socially and politically neutral” clause.
]Jim Gaston, wearing an “I [heart] the library” T-shirt that pro-FRL people have worn for months, spoke on a broad variety of topics, including the library and his opinions on limited government.
Johnson called the FRL changes “an extremist temper tantrum” and said religious extremists are trying to shove their beliefs down other’s throats. Sarah Johnson said she’s never had a bad experience at the library and these changes don’t follow the limited government principles certain board members profess.
Bodie Catlin, whose wife Diann is a Macon County Public Library trustee, said FRL ending public comment was a joke. After speaking about the new high school project, Catlin talked about the American Library Association, which he and others have repeatedly pointed to as being “Marxist.”