Bill heading to Beshear could change public library boards

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. – A bill heading to the governor’s desk may change how libraries gain new board members.

On Wednesday, March 30, the Kentucky Senate and House passed SB 167, which changes the way library boards are appointed. The Warren County Public Library Board of Trustees currently fills vacancies by submitting two names to the judge executive, who picks one.

This bill would end all current trustees’ terms in the state on January 1 and allow the judge executive to appoint whoever they wanted with approval of fiscal courts.

This would remove the input from libraries. However, it would also give libraries the authority to lease and build to lease buildings for use by educational institutions.

Concerns are that it puts too much power in the hands of one individual since libraries aren’t designed for building and leasing buildings to educational institutions.

“We don’t want to politicize the libraries which are designed to serve the public,” said Matt Idlett of the Warren County Public Library Board of Trustees. “We think that the library board should be independent. Every large capital spending project we have does have to go before Fiscal Court, which is elected officials.”

Idlett is encouraging the governor to veto the bill and area legislators not to override that veto.

4. The library does have its own taxing district and employees are state workers.