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Public comments and assembly debate spotlight library funding, governance and accountability
Summary
Dozens of residents urged the assembly to retain or reconsider the non area-wide library mill levy; speakers gave mixed views on accountability, access and representation as the assembly discussed but did not change the levy.
The Ketchikan Gateway Borough Assembly heard extended public comment on May 19 about the borough—ontribution to the Ketchikan Public Library and the structure of the non area-wide library mill levy.
Multiple residents and library stakeholders addressed the assembly during the public-comment period, expressing strongly divergent views about whether borough residents receive adequate oversight for money collected through the non area-wide tax that is sent to the City of Ketchikan under a memorandum of agreement. Deborah Simon, a long-time advisory-board member and borough resident, told the assembly: "Either give me a direct elected avenue to library policy and operations or stop giving them my money." Simon urged either a governance change or an end to the borough—ontribution.
Pat Tully, director of the Ketchikan Public…
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