Library Contract Gamble: BOS Risks Millions and Ignores Public Trust

On June 3rd, the Board of Supervisors (BOS) removed the proposed contract for library services from the agenda to fine-tune it. Hopefully, they have scrapped it instead. The BOS 4 has repeatedly acted as though the county owns the library and that they have the right to take over its management.

Back in the 1950s, when the residents asked the board for a library, they had three options from which to choose.  (1)  Start a library from scratch, an expensive choice; (2) purchase the contents of the local subscription (i.e., paid membership) library, which was cheaper but still expensive; or (3) create a partnership with the library to go public with financial support from the county, The county has revisited the issue at least once since then and had chosen to maintain the partnership as the most cost-effective method to provide library services for the residents.  The county has never owned the library, and Samuels has repeatedly reminded them of that fact.

Our BOS has decided to end that partnership and hire a company that will take 25% off the top of the budget for themselves plus any unspent money at the end of the month.  That money does not pay salaries, buy books, or pay bills. I understand why Library Systems & Services (LS&S) wants to sign that contract. Either they will have a new library to operate or be paid hundreds of thousands of dollars to do nothing. They win either way. But why would the BOS want to sign?  Do they believe that they will be able to simply cancel the contract and only need to pay LS&S a quarter million dollars if the court rules against them?  Did anyone bother to consider what effect the BOS acting “in bad faith” will have on the contract?  Will LS&S take the measly $250k, or will they sue for the full value of the 10-year contract plus court expenses?  Won’t that be more like $14 million?  If they sign that contract, then I would say that Jennifer McDonald was not the only county official with a gambling problem.

The BOS 4 have not been listening to anyone but those who agree with them. They should remember that private conversations are meant to ensure that everyone can speak candidly and also have the benefit of insulating others from the consequences of wasting tax dollars. Old saws say it best: “With friends like that, who needs enemies?”.

Barbara Hunt
Front Royal, VA

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