LIBRARY: Choose wisely, vote

Unlike some people, I am glad that the Community Library Network Trustee election is finally getting some exposure. For too long these positions have been ignored by the newspaper and the electorate. For too long these trustees have been chosen by the current trustees and then never faced an election.

This library taxing district takes millions of your property tax dollars and spends about 90 percent of that money on things other than books, videos or magazines. Having served on this board, I saw how important it is to have trustees that have a passion for the library, but also for the taxpayers that foot the bill.

Library administrators have to be held accountable and the trustees are the only ones that can do that.

I served with Michele Veale for years and watched with disappointment as she invariably refused to ever question the decisions of the library managers. I think she truly loves the library, but she does not seem to hold the same feeling for the taxpayers. They seemed to be an afterthought at best. She should not be a trustee, but I hope she continues to serve the library in other ways and I wish her well.

Bob Fish should be re-elected. He is a retired banker with common sense and a love of the library. I will support him.

I have heard from both Rachelle Ottosen and Vanessa Robinson and I think they both have the characteristics needed to be good trustees too. Please vote on May 18th. This is how democracy works.

GLEN SEELY

Coeur d’Alene