(Wahpeton)– Wahpeton residents once again have access to library services. The city council Monday evening unanimously approved a motion approving funding agreements with not only the Milford Memorial Library, but also the Spirit Lake and Arnolds Park Public Libraries, in accordance with state law. Library services to Wahpeton citizens were disrupted recently after the city initially declined to pay a significant increase in annual payments. Those payments, based on property taxes, had gone up significantly in recent years but Wahpeton was still paying a much lower allocation as the result of an oversight that wasn’t discovered until just recently. Council member Holly Mead was one of three members that voted recently against Wahpeton paying the increased amount. She says her main qualm is over the funding mechanism, adding that she is not opposed to libraries or the services they provide…
Wahpeton resident Tina Sheryl Range suggested the city have a representative on at least one of the library boards…
Range admitted that getting a seat on the board is a rather tedious process and would likely require a public vote. The director of one area library at Monday evening’s meeting suggested the city of Wahpeton could have a non-voting member on a board serving in a liaison capacity.
