Downers Grove officials on Monday agreed to form a joint subcommittee to study how members of the Downers Grove Public Library Board of Trustees are chosen, as council members and trustees said they want a transparent, time‑bounded review before considering any structural change.

The meeting at Herrick Middle School, hosted by District 58, drew representatives of both bodies and dozens of residents. Mayor Barnett, co-author of a joint statement with library leadership, said the night’s purpose was to “explore this issue, the issue of how trustees, library board of trustees, are selected,” not to adopt an immediate change.

The discussion grew out of public debate in recent weeks about whether the library’s trustees should be elected by voters or remain appointed. Council members and trustees repeatedly described the next step as research and community engagement rather than an immediate policy shift. Several officials said they expect the joint effort to meet publicly, produce a list of questions and options, and report back with recommendations for next steps.

“What we’re hoping to do tonight is get sort of some broad consensus among these two bodies to put together a group, to figure this out,” Mayor Barnett said. Matt, who co-authored the joint statement, said he “would just echo that” and described the approach as a productive starting point to evaluate governance options.

Council and board members discussed procedural features they want in the review: equal representation from each body on the working group, transparent meetings that are open and recorded, early identification of the specific issues the group should address (for example, transparency of the appointment process and accountability mechanisms), and a target timeline. Several members said they expect staff to compile items for follow-up and to return the group’s work to both boards for consideration.

Participants tentatively set procedural milestones: staff will prepare a draft list of desired outcomes and questions, the group expects to meet again in February to refine its scope, and some officials suggested a target to complete the study by September. Officials noted that a future referendum or ballot measure could remain an option if the group or either body chooses that path, but no party committed to placing a question on any ballot at this meeting.

Officials also asked that a previously scheduled January 7 agenda item related to library governance be removed from that agenda to allow the joint review to proceed first. That removal was taken by the assembled group as direction to staff; members said the item would not be moved forward on the January 7 council agenda.

The meeting included an extended public‑comment period in which residents expressed divergent views. Tom Sleater, a longtime resident, urged an elected library board so “citizens will have a chance to elect and have accountable members of the library board.” Kylie Spahn, another resident, pointed to the library’s awards and history and argued that the four nearby five‑star libraries have appointed boards, saying, “The Downers Grove Public Library Board of Trustees has managed our library effectively and with great care for over a 130 years.” Other speakers urged transparency in the appointment process, limits on outside consulting spending, and attention to legal constraints under Illinois law.

No formal vote was recorded to change how trustees are selected. Officials described the meeting outcome as consensus to study governance options collaboratively; they said the working group would report back with findings and any recommendations for formal action. The council then voted to adjourn in a voice vote; the adjournment motion was moved and seconded and carried by voice vote.

What happens next: staff will prepare a draft charge and timeline for the joint subcommittee, which members expect to review at a follow‑up meeting (likely in February). The group will collect information on statutory constraints, costs of any changes, procedural options for appointment or election, and public engagement plans before either body makes a formal decision.