POST FALLS — Community Library Network trustees heard from about a dozen community members during their regular meeting Thursday, which followed a series of special meetings during which no public comment was permitted.

The library network is a taxing district covering libraries outside Coeur d'Alene in Kootenai County and the Pinehurst Library in Shoshone County.

Rebecca Priano of Post Falls thanked Vice Chair Tom Hanley for his guest opinion, published Wednesday in the Coeur d'Alene Press, in which he discussed the Community Library Network’s role and asked if the programs it provides the community are in competition with other local entities.

“I appreciate your approaching the new budget with considerable caution and your effort to not raise property taxes and making raises for staff a priority,” Priano said.

She said she keeps hearing the word “literacy” at Community Library Network board meetings. She said literacy is not just the ability to read, but to effectively read, write, speak and listen.

“These skills allow us to express ourselves clearly, listen to others, gain knowledge and build an understanding of the world around us,” Priano said. “This is why the other classes and offerings on the extensive list that Mr. Hanley included in his article are so important.”

Priano and others’ public testimony comes as trustees are nearing finalization of the network’s budget for fiscal year 2024, a topic that has been debated at length during recent meetings. Activities for children and adults have been scrutinized during these conversations. Funding was initially going to be cut by half earlier in the budget process, but trustees have since agreed to return some money to the programming pool.

Hanley and Trustee Tim Plass have asked whether the network is competing with the Kroc Center or local parks and recreation programs by providing the free services and events, such as stargazing and cooking classes.

“Please remember places like Harrison, Athol, Spirit Lake, Rathdrum have no Kroc Center and little to no park and rec,” Priano said. “The library is it. Other entities mentioned charge fees for their offerings.”

“Please don’t cut these programs. Our community, our children need them,” she said. “Your job as a board is to determine the mission, create policy and oversee the general management of the library, not the day-to-day workings. That’s why we have librarians and directors. Our personal political beliefs are irrelevant here.”

She urged the trustees to be creative in finding ways to produce more fiscal support.

“Please don’t bleed our libraries dry with these extreme cuts,” she said.

A few commenters favorably spoke about the direction the board is taking while the majority expressed concern.

Michelle Lippert of Post Falls, a longtime Post Falls School Board trustee, shared advice she received from the late Clay Larkin, who served as Post Falls mayor for 13 years.

“He said that healthy boards and effective trustees do the following: They hire the right people, they give them the tools that they need, they establish trust, then they get out of the way and let them do their job,” Lippert said. “Clay was right. That is how a healthy board and effective trustees should operate.”

On the subject of programming, Hanley again questioned whether the library should be paying for activities such as musical performances and said he is not sure how these events relate to books.

“There’s probably nothing bad about these programs, but they’re luxuries in a sense, certain programs are,” he said.

Another budget item considered during the meeting was the possible closure of the Post Falls and Hayden libraries on Sundays to save the network $27,800.

“We’re receiving a lot of benefit for access on Sundays, so for me, I’m not sure $28,000 would be enough savings to eliminate Sunday service at two locations,” Community Library Network Director Alexa Eccles said.

Trustee Vanessa Robinson said she agreed.

“That is kind of sickening to think that we would close down Sundays for that amount,” she said. “It’s not a good idea.”

Library network board chair Rachel Ottosen disagreed.

“I know many at these tables don’t subscribe to this, but the Lord blesses people when we keep the Sabbath day holy,” Ottosen said. “I think having people work on Sunday is actually to our detriment.”

Trustee Katie Blank said the whole community needs to be considered when it comes to library hours.

The Community Library Network’s status with legal counsel was also discussed. The board majority recently hired Dennis Colton Boyles and Boyles Law at a rate of $275 per hour, according to the retainer agreement procured by The Press via a public records request. Eccles is expected to provide a legal counsel report at an upcoming meeting.

Another special budget meeting will be from 2 to 4 p.m. Tuesday at the Post Falls Library, 821 N. Spokane St., Post Falls.

Info: communitylibrary.net