Colorado Springs City Council confirmed Kenny Kuniyuki to the Pikes Peak Library District (PPLD) board on Sept. 23 following extended public testimony accusing the joint appointment committee (JAC) of an unfair, opaque process.

Dozens of residents — including library volunteers, neighborhood advocates and civic groups — urged council to delay or reject the appointment. Veronica Baker, representing residents who opposed how the nomination was revived, said the dispute was not personal: “Our objection is to the process bringing this vote forward again,” she told the council, citing canceled meetings, unequal interview opportunities and a perception that a single candidate was being advanced without a fair reopening of applications (public comment recorded). Other speakers, including longtime Rockrimmon users, said the board selection affects oversight of a roughly $55 million annual public budget and deserves a transparent process.

Councilmembers debated competing principles: several said the JAC’s actions were within the limited direction the state statute provides for appointments, while others said the sequence of meetings and late agenda changes erode public trust. City Attorney Ben Bollinger advised that the state statute offers little prescription for the committee’s internal procedures and that the legal notice and open‑meetings requirements had been met as noticed. Councilmember David Lineweber and others urged revisiting the state rules to prevent similar confusion.

Councilmember Risley moved to confirm the nominee; the motion carried 6–3. The final tally was announced by the clerk but individual member votes were not recorded on the public transcript. Several councilmembers said they changed earlier positions after additional conversations and interviews; others said reversing the earlier council decision would damage institutional credibility.

What happens next: Kuniyuki will be seated as a PPLD trustee according to the district’s schedules unless further legal or procedural steps occur. Council members and citizen groups signaled plans to press for clearer JAC procedures and, if necessary, state‑level clarification of appointment rules.

Provenance: Topic introduced in public hearing and comment starting at SEG 1439; council vote recorded at SEG 3756.

Speakers: Kenny Kuniyuki (nominee, referenced), Pam Mayer (public commenter, SEG 1442), Veronica Baker (SEG 1471), Joe Pelka (SEG 1532), Jackie Ostrom (SEG 1595), Catherine Czukas (SEG 1631), Brooke Graves (SEG 1701), Jennifer Walker (SEG 1751), Ben Bollinger (City Attorney, SEG 1970), Councilmembers Risley, Gold, Bailey, Donaldson, Lineweber (names and remarks appear across the debate).