EDITORIAL: Answer the call to rescue libraries

She doesn’t look like a bulldog.

In fact, a Press interview with Pat Raffee in 2014 was headlined “Grace under pressure,” hardly a title befiting a muscular beast with a low center of gravity and a comical underbite. 

Grace under pressure? That’s Pat.

Pat Raffee served as chief deputy county clerk under Cliff Hayes and Jim Brannon. Her public-sector experience honed her skills in both policy making and budgeting processes. Over the years, she became a respected authority on Idaho’s Open Meeting laws, as well.

In 2013, Gov. Butch Otter appointed Pat to a five-year term on the Idaho Commission for Libraries board. Put simply, she understands public library nuts and bolts better than 99% of the general population and 100% of the Community Library Network board majority.

We’re giving you some background on Pat Raffee today because when it comes to public libraries, her voice deserves to be heard. We hope it was heard loud and clear last Thursday when her latest My Turn opinion piece summoned citizens to attend an important CLN meeting Thursday night.

The column was one in a continuing series exposing the methodology with which the Community Library Network board majority will cripple the regional public library system through substantial staff reductions, drastic cuts in material purchases, reduced days and hours libraries will be open, and skyrocketing expenses for legal advice and insurance.

What makes Pat so potent isn’t just her consistently keen analyses; it’s her ability to illuminate the incompetence of others without eviscerating them personally. 

Pat called on library patrons to attend the CLN board’s public hearing on the budget Thursday night starting at 6 at the Hayden library.

In case you missed the column, called “CLN trustees are intentionally eroding libraries,” here it is: https://shorturl.at/pvHl4

If you need a little added incentive to take time out for public participation, consider that the last thing the CLN board majority wants is to see your intelligent, interested face in the crowd or hear your comments.

They’ve been getting away with their erosive agenda because, sadly, they’re flying unobstructed under most busy people’s radar.

Your attendance might encourage Rachelle Ottosen, Tim Plass and Tom Hanley to actually do their jobs.