BOCC appoints Kevin Rust to library board

DAYTON-The Columbia County Commissioners (BOCC) appointed Kevin Rust to the open Library Board of Trustees position after an executive session to vote for one of the seven applicants, including incumbent Michele Smith on March 27. The BOCC interviewed the applicants over two sessions.

The Commissioners are the elected representatives of the County charged with appointing the five Board of Trustees for the Columbia County Rural Library District. Following an executive session, Commissioner Chair Ryan Rundell acknowledged the seven applicants for their interest in the position before inviting a motion for the Board. Commissioner Marty Hall nominated Kevin Rust to the term 2023-28 which was seconded by Rundell. Commissioner Jack Miller abstained. Library Board Chairman Jay Ball was present and congratulated Rust, "I look forward to working with you."

The BOCC listened to answers from the following seven questions: Tell about yourself and why you applied to the Board?; Please tell us about civic organizations or committees you have been a part of where you had to work with others to achieve goals – how did you contribute to the group?; Should the library be the gatekeeper of information protecting patrons forming the wrong opinion; should there be a difference if the patron is a child or adult.; Part of your responsibilities as a Board member will be to provide oversight and evaluation of the library director. Do you believe you would be able to balance building trust with the director and voicing concerns of community members and the Board during an evaluation?; The citizens within the Columbia County rural tax district voted to allow the district to tax people to run the library. Do you see yourself as a good steward of the people's money?; Should libraries discard neutrality on topics by taking public stands? Do you think the library should promote books on certain topics, balance promotion efforts or not promote one side or the other of a topic?; Part of being a Board member is community engagement. Do you believe the library is a welcoming place to every citizen in the library district? Do you have any thoughts on how to make the library more so?

Smith, appointed in December of 2021 to fill the remainder of a vacated position, was interviewed first. Since being appointed, her time on the board has been spent in defense of First Amendment rights, Smith said. She felt that she has been an asset to the Board. She answered that a child's gatekeeper is a parent, not the library. As for spending, the library has had to make drastic cuts because of Columbia Pulp which she supported. She spoke of the library as a welcoming place where books are not promoted but accessible. She said the current director Todd Vandenbark's strength is in community engagement and programming. She believes the library is a wonderful asset.

Kraig Horlacher has been an avid library user and is active in his local church, with volunteer work and is a member of the political action group Columbia County Conservatives. He previously worked with rehab patients and the criminally insane and was successful in working with residents and staff. He believes that a library is a gatekeeper of truth especially for children who are vulnerable. When facing issues, he would represent the side of truth and welcome all without compromising it.

New Dayton resident David Campbell has previously served on a school board and various committees. He said this has given him experience working with people to achieve goals. He quoted from the American Library Association when asked if the library should be a gatekeeper, in the that the library must be open and accessible for all. He expressed his approval of the library and as a board member would defer to the director on matters of finance and ensuring it is a welcoming environment for all. He added that staff can promote books without being scrutinized. His position on the Board taking a public stand is that it should remain neutral otherwise "you are not a library anymore. You are a political institution."

Lifetime resident Dave Schreck interviewed and said now that he is a retired local business owner, he can spend time engaging in public affairs and has taken an interest in the library. He has had many community involvements through the years including chairing the Main Street Revitalization Board. He disliked the term gatekeeper for a library and preferred caretaker or custodian of resources. The library is a place to provide information rather than determine what is right or wrong because everyone is going to see things differently. He claimed communication is key for resolving issues for the Board with staff and the public.

Kevin Rust had previously applied to the library board in December of 2021. He is newer to Dayton and is semi-retired. He has worked with various groups and committees over the years and currently serves on Just a Pool Committee. He believes the library is a gatekeeper to ensure it is a safe place for children and adults. He cited the word "trust" from the question of building trust with the director while advocating for the concerns of the public or the board while evaluating the director.

"The word is trust," Rust said. "The library director has the main leadership role amongst other things. The director hires, fires, motivates staff, ensures compliance with laws, prepares, and oversees the budget, develops employment and service policies, strategic planning, and governmental and public relations. The trustees' responsibilities include working with the director in planning and setting goals, developing, and implementing policies that govern library services, advocating the library to elected officials and to the community and representing the community to the library. Trust is a two-way street."

Rust questioned the need for a half a million-dollar library budget. He claimed that every book ordered is a public stand – that there is no neutral stance. The director buys the books and is accountable to the Board, who is accountable to the Commissioners, who are accountable to their constituents, the taxpayers. "So it's our citizens of Columbia County's library."

He believes the library is a welcoming place and has been cared for with maintenance and needed updates such as the library shelves and the ADA ramp and by offering great programs and resources.

Joann Patras also applied. She currently serves on the Board for All Saints Thrift Store and previously managed the store where financial decisions are made in support of those in need. She holds a master's degree and was the education director for three parishes in the Archdiocese of Minneapolis-St. Paul, where she managed 16 employees and 1,600 students.

She disagreed with the word "gatekeeper" for the library but said that they do need to shield the children from inappropriate books. She pointed out that the American Library Association is not a governing organization but is there to provide support to libraries. The library should be neutral but answers to the Board. She said the library is welcoming, but the Board is not so much when it refuses to answer public questions or concerns.

The last to be interviewed was long-time resident Peggy James who retired from many years as the food service director for the Dayton School District where she managed taxpayer money and had to stay within budget. She has many years on committees and groups and currently sits on the Board for All Saints Thrift Store. She believes that with the materials available to children, that they need to be shielded to maintain their innocence and those concerns are not being addressed. The library should be a neutral place and not promote anything but represent the community, including in its book collection.