UPDATE: Lanesboro City Council approves controversial library ordinance
ABC 6 NEWS — After a nearly hour-long meeting Wednesday evening, the Lanesboro City Council voted unanimously to approve the ordinance governing the Lanesboro Library Board.
The vote comes after multiple community members addressed the council expressing their discontent for the ordinance, specifically with the reduction of board members from seven to five.
The ordinance goes into effect immediately from the date of approval.
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ABC 6 NEWS — The Lanesboro Public Library board will have a clearer vision of what its 2025 will look like following a special meeting held by the city council Wednesday evening.
The Lanesboro City Council will be voting on a proposed ordinance that would govern the library board, including laying out a new structure. The biggest change: the board would reduce from seven members down to five.
“I was on the board when there were nine members, and a problem we had was there were constantly one or two open seats,” Board Member Phil Holtegaard said. “Then after we went to seven that ceased to be a problem … we haven’t had open seats so seven seems to work pretty good.”
The ordinance, if passed, would see board members appointed by the mayor on three-year terms, with no member being able to serve more than three consecutive terms.
Among the other changes made in the draft ordinance are a requirement that at least one member of the board be a member of the Lanesboro City Council.
The city has amended the proposed ordinance following backlash from members of the board, however, some still are not happy.
“While the city and library board continue to attempt communication, there are still issues. Aspects of the ordinance have been improved from initial presentation, however, amendments were made without consent of the library board,” said Anna Loney, a member of the Friends of the Lanesboro Library.
The council will be meeting in a special meeting on Wednesday, December 18 to decide on the proposed ordinance. A vote will follow a public hearing at the meeting, which will start at 6 p.m. in the Lanesboro City Council Chambers.