Lengthy Lyon County Library Board Meeting on January 28th Results in 3 to 1 Vote in Recommendation of Fernley’s Suzanne Prouty for Trustee

 Yerington, Nevada – On Tuesday, January 28, 2025, the Lyon County Library Board of Trustees convened for their 1st monthly meeting of 2025.  The four trustees (with one vacancy) are: Nora Stevens; Chairman Deanne Davis; Jan Schardt; & Kay Edwards. Often these monthly meetings are completed within an hour. This meeting went on for 3 hours.

The Lyon County Commissioners’ Meeting room was filled with residents from throughout the county. Over a dozen people spoke during the public participation item, with each speaker limited to 3 minutes. Some spoke encouraging that 3 trustees resign from their duties (not including the chairperson Deanne Davis) ; some spoke with religious fervor about the state of the library; and some spoke in support of Lyon County Library System, it’s librarians, and it’s user-inclusion opportunities for all of county residents.

Here are the letters and communications on public record that reflect public participation in writing:

Eight qualified people applied for the 5th open Library Board Trustee position. Each applicant was asked 7 standardized questions that Trustee Jan Schardt read aloud.

At least one of the 7 questions was referenced from the Nevada State Library, Archives & Public Records regarding responsibilities, advocating for the interest of the library, effective meetings, ethics & liability, making decisions, and money matters. Chairperson Davis advised that these were recommendations, but not requirements of Nevada public libraries. https://nsla.nv.gov/governance-and-trustees/Overview

The lengthy Question # 7 asked if Trustee applicants could follow ethics & liability standards :

“Ethics and Liability

“As a trustee you’ll become a public servant which is led by board member ethics. The public expects that your performance will always be above question for public good not for your own interests or specialized interest groups. As a trustee, you’ll agree to the following per the document roles & responsibilities:

• Promote the highest level of library service while observing ethical standards.
• Declare any conflict of interests between my personal life and my position on the library board and avoid voting on issues that appear to be a conflict of interest.
• Avoid situations in which personal interests might be served or financial benefits gained at the expense of library users, colleagues or the institution.
• Distinguish clearly in my actions and statements between my personal philosophies and attitudes and those of the institution.
• Respect the confidential nature of library business while being aware of, and in compliance with, the Freedom of Information Act.
• Be prepared to support to the fullest, the efforts of librarians in resisting censorship of library materials by groups or individuals.

 Will you be able to follow these ethics guidelines which I’ve read you, and if not, please share your reasons?”

These target points on Ethics and Liability are relevant in this article because of the concerns that arise in the following examples:

Pages 16 to 24 of the supplemental public record communications (published above, scroll to read) appear to include communications from & with the Chairman of the Library Trustees, Deanne Davis which include these clippings:

In a vote of 3 (Nora Stevens; Jan Schardt & Kay Edwards) to affirm & 1 (Chairman Deanne Davis) against, the Lyon County Library Board of Trustees recommended Suzanne Prouty of Fernley to be appointed to the vacant Library Trustee position. The Lyon County Board of Commissioners will vote on this recommended appointment at their meeting scheduled for February 6, 2025.

Also in attendance representing Lyon County Libraries: Library Technician Jennifer Stockwell-Schardt, & Library Director Wynne Prindle: