Committee approves change letting library boards appoint local residents to park boards

Sen. Gaskill presented Senate Bill 351 to the committee, proposing to allow library boards, where local ordinance calls for a library‑appointed member of a parks board, to appoint a resident of the library district rather than only a current library board member.

Gaskill said the change is intended to expand the pool of potential appointees in smaller communities where it can be difficult to recruit board members. "It's hard enough to find good people to serve and, rather than further burdening a library board member, we'd like to find somebody in the library district," a supporter said during testimony.

The bill as introduced applied the change to third‑class cities only; the sponsor proposed a committee amendment to add towns, and the committee adopted an amendment to make the language apply in the intended local government settings. Mark Schoblack of the Indiana Library Federation testified in support of the amended language, saying it would help smaller communities find qualified residents to serve on parks boards.

With no opposition presented, committee members moved the amended bill and the committee approved it on a roll‑call vote of 9‑0.

Votes at the committee roll call recorded: Jackson (Aye), Yoder (Aye), Taylor (Yes), Niemeyer (Yes), Dornell (Yes), Schmidt (Aye), Toms (Yes), Buck (Aye), and other members recorded on the roll; final tally announced as 9‑0. The committee report will reflect the committee’s amendment and the unanimous approval.