The Sandoval County Commission voted to table a proposed county library board ordinance that would have redistributed board members and money around the county.
In fact, at the County Commission meeting on March 13, the commissioners voted to postpone the creation of a Sandoval County Library Board indefinitely.
Librarians, community leaders and residents from around the county came to the meeting to voice their opposition to an ordinance they say is heavily weighted towards Rio Rancho.
“It was very gratifying to see all the support for the libraries, and the commission listened to our concerns and made the right decision,” said Lynnette Fields, chair of the Placitas Library Board.
According to Marian Frear, the Director of the Corrales Community Library, the proposed countywide board aimed to distribute library bond funds and would have consisted of 12 members.
The board would have comprised of one member each from Bernalillo and Corrales. Rio Rancho would have had six members, three of which would represent a library in Rio Rancho, while the remaining three would be appointed by the Rio Rancho governing body. The remaining four members would be selected to represent all communities in the county with populations under 6,000.
According to the ordinance resolution draft, “Rio Rancho’s position has been that if they are over 70 percent of the County’s population and pay over 63 percent of the taxes, their representation on the Library Board should reflect these factors…Rio Rancho will not agree to participate in any Board or Agreement in which they bring a significant majority of the population and tax base and have their voice minimized.”
“This premise that library money should be allocated by population and taxes is simply invalid,” said Jemez Springs Library Director Janet Phillips, during the public comment period of the meeting. “For example, because our rural library location is surrounded by unincorporated towns, Jemez Springs Public Library supports a population over eight times larger than our legal service area.”
In addition to library staff and board members, state Senator Brenda McKenna (D-Bernalillo and Sandoval) and Cochiti Lake Mayor Don Topper spoke against the ordinance during the public comment.
McKenna said she was concerned about the lack of pueblo inclusion in the ordinance. “I do not see in the document where pueblos will be involved in the board or that they were consulted.”
“You can’t have a library board where one community can dominate with force,” said Topper.
According to Frear, the county finance department has traditionally contacted each library directly to discuss their needs and allocate funds accordingly, a process that has generally been effective.
Following an explanation of the ordinance from Commission Chairmen David Heil, the commissioners unanimously voted to postpone the ordinance indefinitely.
“So there won’t be an ordinance. At least I won’t be bringing one back,” said Heil. His term ends in November.