Cape Girardeau Public Library patrons express mixed feelings about potential House Bill

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. (KBSI) – House Bill 2498 would require public libraries that are authorized to levy or collect taxes to have elected board members, as opposed to volunteers.

And one of the libraries that would be affected by this bill is the Cape Girardeau Public Library.

“I feel like kind of negative, kind of positive, could go either way,” library patron Brandi Wallgren said. “It depends on what people do with it, honestly.” 

Wallgren has mixed emotions about the possibility of library board members having to be elected. 

“The positive of that could be that we would have a choice of who would run the libraries if there were all good choices or several good choices,” she said. “If we were to choose those good people, and being able to choose, that’s a good thing.” 

But on the other hand… 

“That could also have the caveat of then you run the risk of politics being brought into it,” Wallgren said.

Both Wallgren and fellow library goer Lilith Starnes expressed concern over discouraging people from seeking a spot on the board, especially since it is an unpaid position.

“I would say the people who don’t want to go through that, it would just be more beneficial to volunteer,” Starnes said.

“You have to pay for signs and campaigning,” Wallgren said. “You don’t have to pay to sign up usually, but if you want people to know who you are, that costs money, and if it’s a paid position, some of the people who are on the board volunteering now that may be great may back out and say I’m not going to do it, which could be a problem.” 

If this bill were to pass, the proposed effective date would be August 28, 2024.