The Hillsdale City Council has approved an amendment to the rules determining the makeup of the Hillsdale Community Library Board.
A large number of city and area residents took part in a public hearing, Monday evening, on the amendment to remove a requirement that the Library Board have at least one member who is also a member of the Hillsdale Community Schools Board of Education.
Councilman Joshua Paladino presented the amendment back in March.
He said the change in the ordinance will put the weight of choosing library board members squarely on the shoulders of the mayor.
He said in its current form, the 44 year-old ordinance gives representation on the board to residents of the townships outside the city, who don’t pay taxes to support the library.
Following more than an hour of public comment, Mayor Adam Stockford said he was in support of the ordinance change. He apologized for keeping the issue off the council agenda for some time, in an effort to avoid the conflict he knew it would stir up.
Councilman Will Morrisey said the local school district already has control of its own library. It doesn’t make sense for the district to control twenty-percent of the voting interest on the public library board.
Council voted 6-3 to adopt the amendment. Members Bruce Sharp, Gary Wolfram and Cindy Pratt voted against it.
