Council Expected to Approve New Library Board Seats
Greg Wilson/Anderson Observer
Anderson County Council is expected to approve the final reading of a proposal to add two at-large members to the County Library Board as part of Tuesday night’s meeting at 6:30 p.m. in the historic courthouse downtown.
The board currently has seven members, each appointed from the seven council districts by county council members. An overflow crowd was on hand at the Feb. 20 meeting, with supporters and opponents of the move taking nearly an hour of public comment time to express their views.
Council has expressed concerns that the four-year terms of library board members exceed the two-year terms of the council member who appoints them, and that council does not have the authority to dismiss members, though they can request their resignations, something that has happened in other counties in South Carolina. Council is expected to pass the final reading Tuesday, since only a single council member, Councilman Glenn Davis, has expressed opposition to the move.
At the core of the issue for some citizens is the content of books located in the children’s library, which requires adult supervision from those under the age of 12. Over the past 18 months, 10 books included in the children’s library of more than 30,000 books have been challenged.
If approved, council will begin taking applications for the two new seats.
Also on Tuesday night, council will consider tax incentives for “Project Blue Star,” the expansion of a local business that promises 51 new full-time jobs.
At the 6 p.m. honors meeting, council will recognize:
• Joe Frank Pinson’s lifetime of extraordinary service to the community
• Pastor Velma J. Williford for her extraordinary leadership and service to the community
• David Rogers of the Town of Williamston Public Works Department upon being named the 2023 South Carolina Rural Water Association System Manager of the Year