Residents testify about the dismantling of the Meridian district library

Hundreds of Meridian residents filled two large rooms in the Ada County Courthouse on Monday to debate a petition to dissolve the Meridian Library District.

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Many shared anecdotes about how libraries and books saved their lives. Teenagers spoke about how the library gave them shelter from bullying, mothers talked about how library books got them through boughs of postpartum depression, and grandparents spoke about the joy it brings them to walk through the library with their grandchildren.

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The petition would place a question on the November general election ballot that would ask voters if they support dissolving the Meridian Library taxing district. The Board of Ada County Commissioners held a public hearing on the petition before they planned to make a decision on the ballot measure.

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Most people were opposed to the ballot question, calling it a waste of time and referring to the library as a safe space.

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Taylor Zinner, a high school freshman, said the Meridian Library District “saved my life.” Last year, when Zinner was an 8th grader she was “extremely” bullied.

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“I went to my library as a source of comfort,” she said. “If I didn’t have that library, I don’t think I would be here today.”

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The Meridian Library District dissolution petitioners told commissioners that they sought new representation from the district trustees.

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“The real problem lies with the board and the library director,” said Mike Hon, a member of the Concerned Citizens of Meridian, which circulated the petition.

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Meridian Library advocates ask commissioners to reject petition.

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Megan Larsen, chair of the Meridian Library District trustees, spoke on behalf of the district, which opposes the petition. She argued that if the petitioners disagreed with the board member’s actions they should elect new members, not dissolve the district.

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“They are unhappy with the trustees, duly elected by the voters,” Larsen said. “There are legal steps in place to address concerns with trustees, namely, to persuade voters to vote for trustees that share the vision and values the petitioners have for public libraries.”

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But, Larsen added that “from the outpouring of support The Meridian Library has received over the past several weeks, it does not appear a majority of voters in our community share the petitioners vision for the library.”

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The Meridian Library District runs four libraries across the city on a $7 million annual budget, and it anticipates opening another library next year.

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Yolanda Michaels lives within walking distance from one of those libraries, Silverstone Library on Overland Road. She is a strong Meridian Library District proponent. During her testimony she said dissolving the library district would disproportionately impact low income residents, disabled people and the elderly, who often rely on the library’s resources.

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“Growing up poor the library was a place where I could choose as many books as I wanted to read and check out as many of them as I could carry,” Michaels said.

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Another library advocate, Meridian Mayor Robert Simison, spoke to commissioners and to Meridian residents in a blog post on Monday. He said he “can’t imagine living in a Meridian that didn’t include” the library.

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“They exist in a unique space providing a variety of resources to all patrons,” Simison wrote. “From time tested roles of providing books to cutting edge tools for businesses, they fill gaps that are an important part of the fabric that exists in Meridian.”

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Petitioners want to overturn current board

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Meridian residents in favor of the petition said they don’t want to dissolve the library forever.

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“The Meridian Library District is a critical part of our community,” Hon said. “We don’t want to get rid of it. We have a standalone taxing district that has no accountability to the city, county or state. They are only accountable to the people. For that reason, we the people are taking action.”

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Hon explained that many of the group have asked the library board to label certain material, but they haven’t felt like their concerns were being heard.

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“If our petition is successful, we will immediately submit our next petition to reestablish the library district,” Hon said. “Isn’t that worth protecting our children?”

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Previously, groups concerned with material in the library circulated a flier that listed five books from Meridian libraries as examples of “graphic” and “disgusting” pornography. Some were in the teen and adult sections and others were not available in the Meridian Library.

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To establish a new taxing district, Meridian Library district residents would have to file a second petition that would follow the same process as the first. The district would then go to a vote, according to Idaho Code.

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But opponents to the petition said that process would leave the libraries closed for too long and would jeopardize their futures. They suggest if the citizens group doesn’t like the current board that they elect new board members in an upcoming election.

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Voters created the Meridian Library District in 1974 with a ballot measure. A year later, voters elected to tax their properties to pay for it.

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A news release from the county in February, outlined the dissolution process for a taxing district:

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• A petition must be filed with the Ada County clerk and presented to the commissioners.
• A hearing must then be held within three to six weeks.
• The commissioners must notify the public in a newspaper two weeks before the hearing.
• The commissioners must send notice to the governing board of the library district.
• The commissioners must issue an order 10 days after the hearing saying whether or not the county clerk must hold an election.

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If voters dissolve the district, the commissioners would dispose of its property and assets, and any indebtedness would be placed in the county general fund, the news release said.

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What happens now?

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After four hours of testimony, Commission Chairman Rod Beck ended the meeting at 10 p.m. The public hearing is scheduled to continue at 6 p.m. on Wednesday night.

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“We will hear everyone that wants to speak because we want to make sure that everyone has the opportunity to present their views on this issue before our deliberations,” Beck said.

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When the final public hearing closes, the commissioners plan to make a decision during a business meeting at a later date, Beck said.

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