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Commissioners dissolve county library advisory board after months of low activity; one member objects at public comment
Summary
Midland County Commissioners voted to dissolve the county library advisory board, citing low attendance and reduced activity following recent controversies; a remaining board member urged the court to instead appoint new members and revive the board.
The Midland County Commissioners Court voted on Feb. 18 to dissolve the county’s Library Advisory Board, a largely volunteer group that staff and commissioners said had dwindled to three members and had been inactive for several months.
County officials said the advisory group had been less active since a past controversy over library materials and that only a small number of volunteers remained. The judge moved to dissolve the advisory board “until we come up with something in the future,” and the motion passed. A library advisory-board member, Bonita Tribble, addressed the court during public comment and urged commissioners not to dissolve the body; she said the advisory board historically assisted with library events, fundraising and programming and that a new voluntary committee had been formed without incorporating the advisory board members.
Tribble said the advisory board had intended to update guidelines and continue to support the library but was constrained by mixed instructions from county leadership. She asked why a new volunteer committee was formed instead of appointing people to the existing advisory board. Commissioners responded that they would later determine how best to support library oversight and programming going forward.
Ending: The court dissolved the library advisory board and recorded public comment opposing that move; commissioners said they would consider future arrangements to support the library’s programs.
