latest on the huntington beach public library

 Pushback continues to intensify against the Huntington Beach City Council.

Whether that opposition succeeds remains an open question. But it is notable that those entities taking action are organized, influential and sophisticated in their efforts. They are using their platforms and resources in an attempt to counter the highly controversial measures promoted by a four-member council majority, and the people involved are as determined as they are passionate.

Dual petitions in Huntington Beach seek to overturn some of the controversial new policies and proposals made by the City Council for the city’s public libraries in the last year.

The first, which is gathering signatures now, wants to remove a review board the council is creating that will have the power to reject new children’s books from being added to the library’s collection and move books already in circulation to a restricted section.

 Huntington Beach City Council members are looking at turning library management over to a private company and establishing a review process on what books are allowed to hit the shelves.  

 During Tuesday’s public meeting, council members voted 4-3 to authorize a bidding process to privatize library management and create a book review group. 

The Huntington Beach City Council voted 4-3 on Tuesday night to move forward with seeking bids for the privatization of library management.

Council members listened to three hours of public comments from 108 residents largely against the idea, and more than 600 emails submitted were almost all against privatization.

Mayor Gracey Van Der Mark, Mayor Pro Tem Pat Burns and council members Tony Strickland and Casey McKeon voted to start the bid process, while council members Dan Kalmick, Natalie Moser and Rhonda Bolton voted against.

In March, the Huntington Beach City Council voted 4-3 to request proposals for outsourcing its public library system to a private company, other county governments, or another third party.

Results of a survey of around 400 Huntington Beach voters released Wednesday found that 67% of them opposed a move to privatize the city’s public library system, with only 17% of those surveyed supporting the move. At a council meeting earlier in May, council members debated whether the issue should be on November’s ballot so residents could decide on it — with the majority voting against putting it on the ballot.

 A passionate crowd spoke in support of the Huntington Beach Public Library at a five-hour City Council meeting this week. When the conservative-majority council voted to continue its exploration of privatizing the library, attendees shouted: “Shame!”

The conservative block, led by Mayor Gracey Van Der Mark, says they have a responsibility to find the cheapest way to run the library, and that includes considering the option of hiring an outside contractor to take over daily operations.

 Surf City voters won’t get to decide if their public libraries should be managed by a private company. 

It comes after Tuesday’s Huntington Beach City Council meeting turned into a fierce debate as opposing council factions accused each other of fear mongering, spreading misinformation and attacking the city library.

In March, the Huntington Beach City Council voted 4-3 to request proposals for outsourcing its public library system to a private company, other county governments, or another third party.

Results of a survey of around 400 Huntington Beach voters released Wednesday found that 67% of them opposed a move to privatize the city’s public library system, with only 17% of those surveyed supporting the move. At a council meeting earlier in May, council members debated whether the issue should be on November’s ballot so residents could decide on it — with the majority voting against putting it on the ballot.