MEEKER | Residents once again packed the meeting room at the Feb. 18 town meeting in Meeker to hear the board’s decision on a citizen petition requesting that the board rescind its appointment of Dan Olson to the Meeker Library Board.
Town Administrator Mandi Etheridge explained that the Town received a letter and petition on Feb. 3, 2025, to show cause for Olson’s removal from the Meeker Regional Library District Board. Olson was appointed by the Town Board of Trustees. Town staff was directed to consult with Town Attorney Melody Massih; Sam Light, senior attorney for the Colorado Intergovernmental Risk Sharing Agency (CIRSA) which provides risk management guidance and coverage for Colorado public entities; and Linda Glesne, the attorney for the library, regarding the legality and process for the request and clarification of state statute.
According to statute, a library trustee (board member) may be removed by a majority vote of the appointing legislative body, but only upon showing of good cause as defined in the bylaws adopted by the library board.
“Upon review of the Meeker library district bylaws,” Etheridge said, “There is no definition of good cause to be applied in the removal of a trustee that this request could be held to at this time. There’s also no clearly defined process for the removal of a trustee, and so staff recommendation is to take no action on the appointment at this time.”
During public comment, Dr. Bob Dorsett identified the lack of a definition of good cause in the library bylaws “a failure of the library board.” Kathleen Kelley suggested the possibility of a resolution of censure from the Town to the library board.
“We’d like to bring some stability back, and if a resolution of censure would help send us in that direction, we would certainly be for that.”
Other members of the public, including Michael Selle and Nash Jones, addressed concerns about the fiduciary responsibility of the library board, and fearmongering against library staff. Etheridge read an email to the board from Jeni Morlan encouraging Olson to step down and stating, in part, “I hope the lawyers will help change the library bylaws so the appointing authority, in this case the town, is able to legally dismiss board members who make it their mission to subvert the law and the spirit of our library. So with the town’s hands tied, I would encourage Olson to step down. The community needs our library to be safe from political and ideological agendas.”
Trustees discussed their options and agreed to hold off on any action at this time, but to stay abreast of the situation and give the library board a chance to “right itself” with help from legal counsel which recently got involved, and additional training.
In other business, the board approved an ordinance updating the Meeker Municipal Code following discussion and recommendations at the previous meeting, and tabled a request from YouthZone for a $1,000 donation because the YouthZone representative was not present. Trustees approved a request from Overton Recycling for the use of Town Park for a community cleanup day on April 5.
“The idea would be to provide several roll off dumpsters for different disposal use; refuse, appliances, electronics and tires,” Etheridge said, noting that the event would be free of charge to the community.
Etheridge updated the board on the Garfield Street water line project bid and walkthrough. The project received attention from 13 different contracting companies, prompting rumors that there was a “protest” occurring during the walkthrough for the project.
Also of note, Matt Solomon with AGNC/s Northwest Colorado Energy Initiative will be present for a work session with the town on Tuesday, March 4 at 6 p.m.
CORRECTION: Apologies to Mayor Travis Day, who we inadvertently referred to as “Travis Adams” in the last town board report.
