The Saline County Quorum Court will decide next month whether to shift some control over the library system’s staff, budget and operations to the county judge.
Last month, the court began considering an amendment to the 1978 ordinance that created the library board. Under the ordinance, the trustees have “full and complete authority” to maintain the library and “the exclusive right and power” to purchase library materials.
The amendment would remove those phrases and add “subject to oversight by the Saline County Judge.” The library board would also have to submit all changes to library policy to the county judge for approval, submit its annual budget to the quorum court for approval, and obtain insurance in case of “claims that may be made due to actions or inactions” of the board and library administration.
The proposed policy change is part of Saline County’s ongoing battle over what content should be available to children in libraries, a local example of a statewide debate. Some Saline County residents have claimed that content pertaining to systemic racism, sexual activity and LGBTQ+ topics is fundamentally inappropriate for children. Others say this content reflects the community and that restricting access amounts to censorship.
The quorum court read the amendment for the second time Monday. Ten of the 13 members of the all-Republican board are sponsoring the proposal.
Keith Keck of District 13, one of the remaining three justices, said Monday that he was concerned the amended ordinance in practice might run afoul of Arkansas law.
The law states that a “county librarian” must run the library “according to the most acceptable library methods” and can only be appointed at the recommendation of the library board. The proposed amendment to the Saline County ordinance removes a phrase that gives the library board “the power and duty to employ or remove” library employees and to control their salaries.
County Judge Matt Brumley said last month that he believes the existing ordinance conflicts with Amendment 55 of the Arkansas Constitution, which says the county judge is able to “hire county employees, except those persons employed by other elected officials of the county.”
The proposed amendment cites the portion of state law that allows county administrative boards to exercise administrative powers.
Keck offered a further amendment that would have added a phrase requiring the library board to make hiring and firing recommendations to the county judge.
“This brings the library board back into their constitutional role, but it still leaves all the hiring and firing and wage discussions with the judge,” Keck said.
The quorum court rejected Keck’s proposal with a voice vote.
Seven members of the public expressed support for the amended ordinance — including one who said county library director Patty Hector should be fired — and five people spoke against it.
Two library board members resigned in June, and the quorum court filled one of the open seats at its June meeting.
Three people have applied for the remaining open seat, and Brumley has interviewed all three of them, he said at the library board’s meeting earlier on Monday. He said he was not ready to recommend a candidate to the quorum court but expects himself and the court to make the appointment in August.
