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Ferrysburg council appoints Carol Sanchez after contentious library-board debate
Summary
After debate about local political history and two qualified candidates, the council rejected a motion to appoint Lisa Menarick and then approved Carol Sanchez for the Loudoun District Library Board, 5–2. Public commenters and council members debated qualifications and alleged past politics.
Ferrysburg — The City Council on June 16 voted to appoint Carol Sanchez to the Loudoun District Library Board after a contentious public discussion and two roll-call votes.
During the meeting, Regina Schobert (who had earlier withdrawn her own application) urged the council to appoint Sanchez, praising her academic credentials and arguing the library board needed new faces. "I ask that you appoint Ms. Sanchez to the LDL board," Schobert said. Lisa Menarick, a longtime local library representative, spoke in support of continued service and highlighted library programs.
Council first moved to appoint Lisa Menarick; that motion failed on roll call 4–3 (Yes: Saas, Kate, DeWitt; No: Montgomery, Murdoch, Sterling, Mayor Carlson). Members debated whether the appointment process had been affected by historical politics and whether fresh perspectives were needed.
A subsequent motion to appoint Carol Sanchez passed on roll call 5–2 (Yes: Murdoch, Kate, Sterling, Montgomery, Mayor Carlson; No: Saas, DeWitt). Council discussion referenced past disagreements over library governance and union negotiations and included appeals to move beyond old conflicts while balancing institutional experience.
Councilmembers said the decision was difficult because both candidates were qualified. The mayor noted the council had to make a binary choice between two applicants and expressed thanks to all applicants for their service. Several public commenters and councilmembers urged civility and focus on the library's mission during the debate.
The council asked staff to include Regina Schobert's withdrawn letter in the online packet (as requested by the speaker) and confirmed Carol Sanchez's term will begin July 1, 2025, with the appointment recorded in the meeting minutes.
