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Residents urge support for Morris Public Library staff after director put on leave
Summary
Dozens of residents told the Morris City Council they want clarity and support for library staff after the director was placed on leave without notice; speakers warned cuts to materials and hours would harm children and the community and asked the council to handle personnel matters carefully.
Dozens of Morris residents used the council’s public-comment period to press elected officials for clarity and support after the Morris Public Library director was placed on leave.
"The library director was put on leave very suddenly and with no notice," Naomi Schulan, president of the Friends of the Morris Public Library, said during public comment. She urged the council to prioritize staffing, materials and the summer reading program that serves large numbers of children.
Schulan and other speakers described the library as essential to community life. "The library is a shining gem of our community and has made a difference especially for my children," Schulan said. Multiple speakers described the library as an irreplaceable "third space" for learning, job support and social connection.
Council members and the mayor were careful not to discuss personnel specifics in public. Mayor Walsh reminded the room that "the city council cannot discuss any pending personnel matters if we if it's with regards to the library," saying the council must observe legal limits on public discussion of personnel issues.
Speakers pressed the council on funding and operations. Schulan said the library’s circulating-materials budget has seen about a 10% cut, and warned that further reductions could force cuts to staffing, hours or cleaning at a time of rising costs for books. Several residents said the library’s daily programs—children’s story times, silent reading sessions and printing services—fill essential gaps for families and older residents.
Other residents emphasized the library’s role beyond books. County Commissioner Bob Kopitsky noted the library’s participation in the Viking Land library system and county funding support. "We give about 68- to 60‑some thousand dollars to the Viking Library System," he said, urging a constructive resolution to keep library staff in place.
The council did not take any formal action on staffing during the meeting. Several speakers asked for transparency about the process and for council members to consider the broader impact of personnel moves on staff morale and community trust. Mayor Walsh and city staff said they would follow whatever staff- and charter-required procedures apply and could not comment further in the public meeting.
