Henry Smorynski, Sartell
In a recent letter to editor (“Sartell library is a bone of contention”) the writer claims a vocal minority has skewed the issue of a branch library. The writer is wrong. The Friends of the Library obtained more than 500 petition signatures urging the council to honor past pledges for a branch library. There are more than 4,000 library cardholders in Sartell. That’s not a “vocal minority.”
Other than coaches and sports supporters, less than 10 people have attended council meetings stating their preference for the southern site. The council has never provided any proof the majority of residents support the southern site. The writer of the “bone of contention” letter cites the 2014 half-cent sales tax vote as proof there was never any promise of a branch library, which was in the earlier vote on the half-cent sales tax raising $1.6 million. It is odd that the community-resources-facilities statement lists “a branch library” as the first amenity in the vote and does not mention at all gyms, walking tracks or other amenities at the proposed center.
The council majority has not responded to what the majority of residents want. They have provided no data proving the vibrancy of the “Town Square” site for the center. They have provided no data on property-tax income on the south side. They have done no research on other community centers. They have done no research on the many cities that have GRRL libraries in their city-hall complexes. They have refused to have a referendum on the library issue. They did not hold even one public hearing on the selection of the community-center site nor have they held even one hearing on the amenities to be included at the site. They have failed any reasonable test of democracy. They have confirmed by their actions and continued arrogance the criticism of John Stuart Mill in his essay On Liberty. They have suppressed the First Amendment rights of citizens of Sartell wanting a branch library. That is all the sad result in their believing that elections provide them an unaccountable mandate to decide everything until the next election.
