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LPL Board of Control
May Regular Meeting Information
To see the May Meeting Agenda, Click HERE.
To hear the May Meeting Audio, Click HERE.
12 May 2022
In comparison to April's Board of Control meeting, the May meeting was relatively quiet. Most of the discussion centered around the library's proposed 2023 budget, however, one important piece of unfinished business was addressed: the bylaws changes proposed and debated at the April meeting.
President Robert Judge opened the discussion by immediately making a motion that his proposed changes (see our April meeting wrap-up for details) be adopted as is. He did not address any of the public's concerns from the last meeting (12 people had spoken up with grave concerns as to the legality of the changes).
Luckily, Board Member David Pitre stepped up to voice those same concerns, stating that he wasn't "entirely comfortable" with a voting system in which only three board members could, in theory, pass resolutions and orders. He had come to this conclusion, Pitre said, after reflecting on comments he had heard the previous month by members of the public.
That is to say, we matter. Every single person who pays attention, who shows up to these meetings, matters. We can, and do, affect change.
Pitre offered up an amendment to Judge's motion, which required a MINIMUM of four board members to pass any resolution or order, even if the quorum is at the minimum size of 5 members. This ensures that at least half the board must be in favor of any motion before it can be passed. This is what we had fought for, because it was right. Three people cannot, and should not, speak for a voting body of 8 members with control over such a large library system.
What was not addressed were the votes which, under the old bylaws system, must now be revoted upon: The Northeast Library RFP (is this even relevant since the committee has since voted to recommend a property for purchase to the full Board?); the Bayouland Card fee; and our old friend Section X. We'll see if those make it onto the agenda in June. If not, we'll know what our next fight will be, since we now know those votes were invalid.