Library business was once again overshadowed by high contention at the Garfield County Public Library District’s Board of Trustees meeting on May 1.
Before reaching the board’s scheduled discussion items, which included a new appointment to the Glenwood Urban Renewal Authority, a presentation from the Grand Valley Historical Society and a tour of the Parachute Library where the meeting was held, members of the public spoke to the board about the remaining manga books on display at the library and the disagreements between two members of the board.
At the board’s previous meeting on April 3, Board President Adrian Rippy-Sheehy adjourned the meeting after a brief squabble with Board Member Myrna Fletchall. Fletchall continued to request documentation about staff compensation that was discussed at a meeting earlier in the year, and Rippy-Sheehy told Fletchall that she would not be regranted access for several reasons, including an assumption that she wanted to share the documents with specific community members. After that, Fletchall accused Rippy-Sheehy of bullying her.
“I’m tired of your behavior and treating me like that,” Fletchall said.
According to a letter submitted by Susan Use, Glenwood Springs resident and former library board member, to The Sopris Sun, printed on April 23, in the “early spring Fletchall’s emails were subject to a Colorado Open Records Request, which provided proof that Fletchall received the documents, spreadsheets, etcetera she keeps demanding.”
On May 1, different members of the community appeared to defend either Fletchall or Rippy-Sheehy. Rifle resident Trish O’Grady, who is one of the citizens that Rippy-Sheehy said she assumed Fletchall would share the data with, read aloud a letter that she wrote to the board in response and said she agrees with Fletchall calling the president a bully.
“I have witnessed in previous board meetings your continued disrespect toward Myrna,” O’Grady said. “You have talked over her, cut off her sentences, spoke in a loud, condescending tone. It’s difficult to express this, but I have felt that from you also, and toward her. You just know it when you see it.”
O’Grady requested that Rippy-Sheehy make a formal public apology to Fletchall at the meeting and consider resigning from her position as board president.
After O’Grady spoke, two community members made similar statements in defense of Rippy-Sheehy. New Castle resident Carol O’Brien said that Fletchall’s behavior “has been horrible” and “unprofessional,” and added, “especially toward Adrian.”
Use said that she believes Fletchall has been “out to get Adrian since day one,” and that Fletchall retaliated against her when she wouldn’t push back on Rippy-Sheehy.
“Myrna bullies,” Use said. “She harasses Adrian any chance she’s gotten. It’s a constant harassment.”
She requested that Fletchall
make apologies to Rippy-Sheehy, herself and to the library district’s executive director, Jamie LaRue, for her behavior towards them.
New Castle resident May Gray, who frequently attends the board’s public meetings, was the last member of the public to speak and said that she felt like a child asking her parents to stop fighting.
“What is happening on the board is a lot,” she said. “I am asking as a participant of these meetings that something change, because it is far too much, and I believe that we all need to recognize where the problem is and deal with the issue. It’s affecting us.”
Neither Rippy-Sheehy nor Fletchall made a public apology during the meeting and as of press time The Sopris Sun was not aware of any apology being made since.
The board’s next meeting will take place on Thursday, June 5 at the Carbondale Library at 2pm.