Sylva’s Brown regrets ‘rookie mistake’ on Fontana library resolution
Jon Brown.
Town of Sylva photo
Two weeks after instigating the removal of a resolution supporting the Fontana Regional Library from a Sylva Board of Commissioners meeting agenda — and just moments after scorching public comments delivered by a longtime local — a first-term Sylva commissioner says he regrets his decision and hopes to move forward.
“Call it a rookie mistake,” said Sylva Commissioner Jon Brown. “I’m still learning what I do here.”
Luther Jones was the only person to speak during the public comment portion of the July 10 Sylva Board of Commissioners meeting and delivered a rebuke of the board’s June 12 vote to remove a proposed resolution supporting FRL from its agenda.
“There are times when I have not agreed with the actions of the of the town board, but I can tell you now, in all these years, this is the first time that I have been ashamed of it,” Jones said.
The resolution was to be heard just before commissioners were preparing to vote to withdraw from the library system over LGBTQ+ content, which they did on June 24. Along the way, critics of withdrawal warned of diminishing service, increasing expense and legal exposure.
But as the June 12 Sylva meeting was called to order, Brown moved to strike the resolution from the agenda. Brown’s motion was made all the more puzzling when he later added that he hoped the Jackson County Public Library would remain part of the FRL and that he was still open to discuss a resolution of support.
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Commissioners Brad Waldrop and Joe Waldrum opposed the motion but were outvoted by Brown and commissioners Blitz Eldridge and Mary Gelbaugh, so the respective merits or deficiencies of the resolution were neither heard nor voted on.
At the time, Brown said he didn’t think it was the board’s job to present a public statement on a polarizing issue that’s the responsibility of county commissioners to decide, and that the resolution — which had previously been passed by county municipalities Forest Hills and Webster — hadn’t been crafted, vetted or discussed by his board.
“That is why it was on the agenda — to be vetted and discussed prior to taking the vote. You could have vetted the statement as a committee, as a board. You didn’t have to like the resolution as it was written. You could have had your hand in crafting it to your liking. You could have voted for it or not, as per your personal conscience,” Jones said, going on to call the move “shameful” and “an act of censorship.”
Jones, who’s unsuccessfully run for the board several times, ended his comments with a warning to those — namely, Brown — seeking reelection in November.
“The residents of Sylva have not been able to ascertain the positions of council members because of the silence,” he said. “Perhaps they should step down or be replaced by voters the next time they are up for reelection.”
Gelbaugh told The Smoky Mountain News she would step back after more than a decade of service, while Waldrum said he was undecided. Mayor Johnnie Phillips, who is also seeking reelection, only votes in the case of a tie. Brown said July 1 he planned to run again and doesn’t think the Jackson County commission’s FRL decision will have much impact on the Sylva races this year. He also said he regrets the commissioners’ decision to withdraw.
After Jones concluded his remarks, Brown responded earnestly.
“I appreciate Mr. Jones’ comments,” he said. “What we do here as a board should be transparent. It should be discussed. And what we what we did last meeting in removing that from the agenda was probably not the best way to handle that. I’ll admit that, and I think that was a learning experience for me.”
Brown added that he maintains the position that the Sylva board should not be “taking a side” on a divisive issues.
“Having said that, I do feel that we can make a resolution in favor and support of our library, and we’re working on that, and we will put that forth. That will speak to more of where most of our constituents are,” he said.
Acknowledging concerns on both sides, Brown again said he would “love to see the library stay part of the FRL” and that a forthcoming resolution of support could include a clause indicating that the library has existing mechanisms whereby patrons can challenge library materials.
“I think that’s appropriate, and I think the board will agree to a resolution that’s more encompassing of where many of our constituents stand,” he said.
Although Jackson County did vote in favor of withdrawal, disentangling processes and resources from the FRL system will take place over the course of a year, so it’s theoretically possible for Jackson commissioners to reverse their decision.
The next meeting of the Sylva Board of Commissioners will take place at 9 a.m. on Tuesday, July 24.
