Why Should We Let the County Off the Hook, We Paid For a Public Library

As one of the two originators to the library support movement my voice has been heard, some might say ad nauseam.  Over the past year I’ve remained largely silent unless I had something unique to say.  My thought being that we needed more voices, not the same ones over and over.  I was pleased to see that happen.

Which brings me to today, I’ve seen several comments that Samuels should get private funding to spite the BoS, or move somewhere that will appreciate them.  While I get that sentiment, I’ve had it more than once, I’d like to propose a question – why should we let the county supervisors off the hook?  They owe us a public library, we paid for one.  They can’t build one for less than the million dollars they give SPL.  So chances are they’ll take that money and use it to the benefit of them, not the citizens.

The library opposition is going to claim that I am spreading lies.  They’ll continue the same narrative that they have been for months.  Like this isn’t about LGBTQ+ books, that was settled in the first round.  The library hasn’t been defunded, it’s now month to month, or the library isn’t going to close, we are just getting a new contractor.  How about this could have all end if the library had released their accounting books and cooperated?

When I point them to the website they’ll claim those aren’t the real books, just the ones they want us to see.  They’ll cry secret meetings, while failing to follow proper procedures for their meetings.  (Where are your minutes Warren County Library Board, how many meetings are you going to cancel, change location without notice, or just straight out fail to have?)  When I ask how a meeting can be secret if it’s posted on the website, they’ll argue it’s just a calendar event and could have been a holiday party.

I’ll rebut that if they actually went into the library they would have seen the paper announcement on the wall, but contrary to their claims I don’t believe they visit the library.  Keep in mind, Supervisor Cullers was on the email notification list, so they’ll switch to arguments about FIOA and days of the week.  Finally they’ll say this is what the county voted for, Trump won, and start calling their board part of DOGE.  I know this because all of those are ‘copy and paste’ statements that have appeared on content.  You don’t have to take my word, go review any article about the library and you’ll find their ‘greatest hits’.

I’ll put out there that this could all end if they would follow Supervisor Culler’s lead and let this go to a referendum.  If the Supervisors are so sure that this is what the county wants, and so sure in their silent majority, then prove me wrong.  Call my bluff!  Put this on the ballet and shut all of us up for good.

We all know you won’t, because this isn’t about the taxpayers, ‘gay’ books, or fiscal responsibility.  This is your own personal vendetta against a treasured institution of Warren County.  And I won’t stand for it or the smear campaign you are attempting to use to besmirch Samuels Public Library.

Sydney Patton-Shenandoah District
Warren County, VA

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