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Prattville council reappoints two library trustees amid public calls for transparency
Summary
The council reappointed Donnie Bethel and Gloria Kuykendahl to the joint Prattville/Otago library board and debated whether to open appointments to new applicants after citizens raised questions about a $64,000 FY25 surplus and cuts in FY26 program lines.
Prattville City Council voted on Nov. 18 to reappoint Donnie Bethel and Gloria Kuykendahl to the Otago-Prattville Library Board of Trustees, extending each term through Nov. 30, 2029.
During public comment Jackie Nicks told the council she had sent a detailed email outlining concerns about library finances and asked the council not to reappoint current board members until the discrepancies were investigated. Nicks said the library reported a $64,000 surplus in fiscal year 2025 that is not reflected as a line item in the FY26 budget and asserted that cuts to program and book budgets followed.
Opponents and supporters addressed the council: Will Sanchez spoke in favor of reappointment, praising the boardmembersprofessional diversity and efforts to comply with the Alabama Public Library System. Councilor Jackson urged the council to open appointments to applicants and consider interviews; other councilors said continuity and the boardmembersexperience justified reappointment.
Councilors discussed the legal and procedural route for appointments. Staff explained the typical process: boards often submit reappointment recommendations and the city provides backup documents; new applicant postings are circulated when a vacancy exists. Councilor Jackson and others said the council, as the appointing body, could opt to interview applicants and asked for full transparency on board finances. The mayor and staff said they would look into historic resolutions that require certain agencies receiving city funds to provide minutes and audits and that city legal staff was reviewing the applicability of a 1984/1992 resolution cited by a council member regarding access to library financials.
Mayor identified expected building stabilization costs for the library: preliminary numbers suggested $300,000–$350,000 to stabilize the structure and a potential building addition in the $4 million–$5 million range; he recommended considering the education one-cent sales tax as a funding source. Councilors asked staff for clearer backup and transparency during upcoming budget deliberations.
What happens next: The two reappointments take effect immediately; councilors requested follow-up information on the libraryfinancials and said they would review backup documents and legal guidance about access to board minutes and audits.
