Board of Supervisors Clarifies Position on Samuels Public Library

On February 2nd, 2024, the Royal Examiner published an article with the headline “Jamieson, Butler Indicate Support of Rearranged Funding Dynamics, Cuts to County Funding Support of Public Library.”

In an effort to set the record straight while being sensitive to the recent challenges, the Board of Supervisors would like to clarify that there is currently no plan in place to change the funding outlined in the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with Samuels Public Library.

Supervisor Butler clarified further, “I think the library is an essential part of Warren County. Identifying different ideas regarding the proper use of public funds a year and a half before a new agreement has to be made is a good thing. Allowing plenty of opportunity to hear all sides and perspectives. I’m looking forward to hearing more from the library board and their new Director, Erin Rooney.”

Supervisor Jamieson concurred, “At no point in Tuesday’s budget meeting did I, or anyone else, indicate any plans to modify the current agreement. The Royal Examiner is grossly misrepresenting the discussion that took place on Tuesday night. This was a budget meeting. It was entirely appropriate to use this time to examine the budgeting, spending, and account management processes and raise what I believe are reasonable challenges from my perspective as an elected official and fiduciary for the county. It is unfortunate that the Royal Examiner’s opinion writer is blissfully incurious about the matters I raised at the meeting while inserting himself into the story with his well-known bias and opinions about the controversy of last summer to cast his narrative about Tuesday’s budget request meeting.”

The Warren County Board of Supervisors and Samuels Public Library signed a Memorandum of Agreement in October 2023 that, among other things, outlines funding and library board appointees until June 30th, 2025.

Press Release from the Warren County Board of Supervisors.

Update: Jamieson, Butler indicate support of rearranged funding dynamics, cuts to County support of Samuels Public Library