‘Save Samuels’ President Responds to Royal Examiner on Reaction to First WC Library Board Meeting

As reported in our story on the first meeting of the still-wrapped in pending litigation Warren County Library Board, we asked “Save Samuels” President Samantha Good, who was present for the meeting and after-adjournment chat with Chairman Eric Belk, about her impressions of what she had heard over the course of the evening. This is what she told us:

“After attending the first meeting of the illegally appointed Warren County Library Board (WCLB), the Save Samuels Library PAC (Political Action Committee) has several concerns,” Good began referencing her support of the pending Samuels Library Injunction filing in Warren County Circuit Court, elaborating that, “Despite Board member Dean Jacques’s repeated assurances that he was committed to transparency, the board members currently have no way for community members to contact them and were encouraged by Board member Vicky Cook to communicate about board business via personal phone calls, which is unethical as it circumvents the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA).

“Board members also seemed unaware of their ability to access financial information that Samuels Public Library (SPL) has made publicly available for more than a decade.

“In addition, the newly elected Chair of the Board, Eric Belk, submitted multiple requests to have books removed from Samuels Public Library in 2023. Mr. Belk engaged PAC members in conversation after the meeting, and encouraged us to communicate our concerns to the WCLB. However, when it was suggested that he watch public comments given at recent Board of Supervisors meetings to learn more about our concerns, he dismissed those discussions as unrelated,” Good concluded of a perhaps not-so-good conclusion from her perspective from the new library board chairman.