A Call for Accountability: Longtime Volunteer Challenges Warren County BOS Over Library Takeover

Dear Members of the Board of Supervisors,

Why are each and every one of you a BOS? What are you supposed to be doing while holding that title?

Who do you represent?

Are you working for the betterment of our community?

Are you committed to being good stewards with our tax money paid to the county?

Will you leave the county in better shape after your term ends than when you started?

I challenge each of you BOS to answer each of these questions above and publicly share your answers. If you don’t and won’t, then I/we know you are the enemy against us and among us.

I am writing to express my deep disappointment regarding the county’s decision to take over Samuels Public Library. This action, along with the decision to limit the types of books available and disregard prior commitments to maintain the building, is both troubling and disheartening.

For over 40 years, I have proudly served this community as a volunteer firefighter and EMT. I have dedicated my life to protecting and serving the people of Warren County, and I have always believed in the importance of preserving institutions that enrich our community. Samuels Public Library has been one of those institutions—a place of knowledge, learning, and inclusion for all.

The county’s actions appear to be driven by special interest groups that have infiltrated both the library board and the Board of Supervisors, prioritizing their agendas over the needs of the broader community. Public libraries are meant to serve everyone, not just a select few who wish to impose their views on others. Restricting access to books and educational resources limits intellectual freedom and undermines the values of an informed and engaged citizenry.

Additionally, the decision to default on the county’s obligation to maintain the library building is unacceptable. Samuels Public Library has long been a cornerstone of our community, and neglecting its upkeep is a disservice to the residents who rely on it. If the county is unwilling to fulfill its responsibility, it should reconsider its takeover and allow the library to operate independently as it was intended.

I urge you to reconsider these decisions and prioritize the interests of the entire community, not just those of politically motivated groups. Our public institutions should reflect the diversity of thought and knowledge that makes a community strong.

It is my understanding that Samuel’s provided the county with an independent audit of their books.  Now, I’m not sure about the issue with the furniture purchases.  It’s easy to prove expenditures for purchases but a little harder to prove what furniture was actually purchased once it’s in the building. I understand there was a handshake deal between the county and Samuel’s for building maintenance. Was there a contract between Samuels and the county for the furniture? If not, the furniture is Samuels Library’s because they can’t operate without furnishings.  The county has no business taking over the library.

I’m fine as long as our taxpayers’ money has been proven to be used appropriately and the library has been giving the county third-party audit reports.  My Grandaddy Wilson Burke was a Supervisor and chairman of the BOS in the fork district. As tight of a penny-pincher as he was, he would be fine with supporting the library.

No one should be trying to silence free speech. The type of books that some people or organizations want removed is crazy. No kids should be able to check out or access them; I understand they couldn’t.

Look I’m big time heterosexual but no one should be trying to remove books with gay, lesbian, trans, bisexual, queer or anything else. It’s free Speech.

Am I off Topic? Maybe to some, but this is how we got here. I’m a Christian, and I love God, but I’m not trying to silence anyone, nor should I be able to. I have many friends who are different from me, and I love them to death. I’d have their backs whenever needed.

This entire takeover by the county of Warren is wrong and unjust. We just went through the EDA scandal and are still suffering from it. Spending $100,000 on this Samuels Library takeover is thievery by the BOS from us, the taxpayers.

The one thing I learned long ago is to do business with a written contract and never rely on a handshake. It’s sad, but it’s very true. Shame on the BOS for allowing this to happen.

This county needs to get a hold of all the waste and abuse of county tax-payer funds.  Where are the 3 and 7-year plans? What are they? Why are each district’s supervisor not holding community meetings to let their constituents know everything that affects us and what the future plans are? What are their ideas for ensuring that waste, fraud, and abuse in our county are being identified and handled accordingly?

It’s not easy being a public servant, and most of my entire family has served our community for a long, long time. We have great people here, and we have a fantastic fire & rescue system and, finally, a fantastic sheriff’s dept and Sheriff.  We need a strong library to support the literacy of not only our children but the entire population of the surrounding area. If one doesn’t like what someone has written, don’t read it. God tells us in the chapter of John 10:9, “I am the door. Anyone who goes through me shall be cared for- will go freely in and out, and find pasture”.

God says anyone – you just have to do the right things to get there. Sorry for being, per say, off-topic.

Just saying.

Bill Burke
NREMT, Va Fire Inst. I , Chainsaw Inst.
Warren County, VA

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