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Tennessee Group Vows to Fight Library PrivatizationThree weeks after the Jackson–Madison County (Tenn.) Library board announced it would outsource its operations to management firm Library Systems and Services, a citizens’ group has formed to contest the plan. The group, Citizens Against Privatization, claims to have collected 1,000 signatures opposing any outsourcing contract, the Jackson Sun reported September 28.CAP cochair Charles Doss also called for current library board members to step down, saying that they seem to be “under the pretense that they can do anything” but that’s “not OK with the community.” Library trustee Robert Huffman told the Sun, “It’s a normal reaction to change, and people fear change, but we have the best interests of everybody in mind. We’re not talking about something that’s not been tried before. It’s a marvelous way to service the needs of county and city.” The board also came under fire from the Madison County Commission, which approved a resolution September 25 that “strongly encouraged” trustees to hold open meetings. Commissioner Fred Birmingham claimed the board met privately to discuss privatization on at least one occasion in defiance of the state’s Open Meeting Act. Huffman promises that any future discussions the board has “will be in an open meeting.” Posted September 29, 2006. |
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