Library board opposes changes suggested by charter commission
BY PHIL REYNOLDS SOUTH JETTY REPORTER

Hitting the books STAFF PHOTO BY DAN PARKER Stan Blackwell, a winter visitor from East Texas, browses through some books at Ellis Memorial Library on Wednesday, April 4. The library board is upset over the wording of proposed amendments to the city charter that will go before voters on May 12. Board members say the ballot seems to eliminate all the board's powers.

Agreeing that voters would probably favor changes in the city charter that affect the Bill Ellis Memorial Library, members of the library board nevertheless said on Thursday, March 29, that they wished the amendments had been worded differently.

The three library amendments are among 27 changes to the city charter that voters will be asked their opinions about on Election Day, Saturday, May 12.

The first amendment, No. 22 on the ballot, suggests that the library board act as an advisor to the city manager instead of the city council. The rationale is that the city manager is the day-to-day executive officer of the city, and the change is more consistent with the city council-city manager form of government.

The second amendment, No. 23, seeks to "eliminate the authority of the library board to supervise and govern the library and nominate the librarian." Board members objected to the wording that would "eliminate" its authority, though they agreed that the board doesn't so much "nominate" a librarian as it "recommends" one. The process, when a new library director is needed, is for the library board to interview applicants and make a recommendation to the city manager, who then takes the matter to the city council. Under the change, the board would make a recommendation to the manager, but the manager would hire the library director.

City Manager Michael Kovacs pointed out at the board's March 29 meeting that no other board makes recommendations directly to the council.

Board chairman Rick Kalke countered that no other board is like the library board.

The library was started not by the city, but by a group of citizens who were actually trying to build a library against the wishes of the city council at the time, Kalke said.

"They were persistent," Kalke said. "They plugged and plugged and plugged and finally got enough books together to have a library."

Kalke noted that the city wouldn't even own the land the library building sits on if Bill Ellis hadn't donated it specifically for a library.

"As a voter, how would you define that proposition?" he asked Kovacs. "What does 'eliminate' mean to you?"

"Certainly not eliminate the library board," Kovacs answered.

"I think it's out of context," Kalke said. "I think it's not proper for a vote."

"The voter doesn't see what's left in the charter," board member Gail Swenson agreed. "They only see what's on the ballot."

As it now appears in the city charter, Article IX, Section 2(f) reads:

"Library board. The city council shall appoint a library board consisting of five (5) members who shall be qualified registered voters of the city and who shall serve for a term of two (2) years with two (2) members' terms expiring in even numbered years and three (3) members' terms expiring in odd numbered years. The board shall work in an advisory capacity to the city council in the planning, development, use, regulation, operation, and maintenance of the Port Aransas Library. The board shall supervise and govern the public library and shall nominate the librarian who shall be appointed by the city council. Members of the board shall elect a chairman from their membership and shall meet at the call of the chairman or at the request of the city council."

The amendment would change the board's working as an advisory panel to the city council to working as advisors to the city manager, and would give the city manager the authority to hire the librarian.

It would also put the power to "supervise and govern" the library with the city manager.

The third proposed amendment to the library board would add the city manager to the list of people who can call a library board meeting. Currently, only the council or the board chairman can call a meeting.

The board unanimously urged the next charter review commission to take a closer look at how the library operates before recommending changes to the charter that affect the library.

"I think (these proposals) are an example of people who don't understand the day-to-day operation of the library," Swenson said.

"Whether it does or doesn't pass, we can come back in four years and look at it again," Kalke said.

The charter calls for the council to appoint a charter review commission every four years to examine the charter for six months and make recommendations on parts that it believes should be changed. The next charter review commission would meet in 2012.