West Bend Library Board Shuns Public Hearing Over Porn

This is troubling. 

Dear Mr. and Mrs. Maziarka,

As of this time, the subject of the petition will not be on the May 5, 2009 Library Board meeting agenda. Our City Attorney, however, has notified the Board that they may still hold a special meeting to discuss the matter and respond to issues in the petitions or other related issues. That being said, the Board is not required to have such a meeting.

If the Board chooses to have a special meeting, that meeting will be duly posted and will be open to the public. The Board can allow public comment if it chooses to do so, but the Board is not required to do this.

Thank you.

Michael Tyree

Michael Tyree, Library Director
West Bend Community Memorial Library
630 Poplar Street
West Bend, WI 53095
Voice: 262-335-5151, ext. 125
FAX: 262-335-5150

I admit that I have been tepid on this movement.  In the end, I have come down in favor of correctly classifying and locating these books, but not banning them.  But this has become quite a significant issue in West Bend.  For the library board to poo poo the notion of even having a meeting on the issue is disgraceful.  The library is funded with taxpayer money.  They have a responsibility to at least listen to the people who fund them.  For the record, the library board is appointed by the Mayor and there is a meeting tomorrow evening regarding the appointees.  The only way to put pressure on the library board is through the common council (a ridiculous scenario in my opinion). 

Michael Tyree needs to be reigned in.  While he may have no inclination to change library policies, he should at least take the concerns of the citizens into account.