LIBERTY LAKE, Wash. — The Liberty Lake City Council voted against Liberty Lake Mayor Cris Kaminskas’ reappointment of Kim Girard to the Liberty Lake Library Board of Trustees.
According to a city council meeting, the council voted 4-3 on Dec. 4 to reject the reappointment of Kim Girard to the Liberty Lake Library Board of Trustees. Girard, a librarian who has served on the board since 2021, was notably critical of the council’s increasing control over the library’s policies.
Girard’s position on the board had been a point of contention since late last year, when the City Council passed an ordinance assuming greater authority over library operations. Girard, along with others, had raised concerns about the shift in governance and the potential impact on library services.
At Monday’s meeting, Girard spoke in favor of the city’s progress but did not directly address the confirmation vote. However, after the motion to confirm her was put forward, the council voted against her reappointment without any further discussion.
Some members of the council expressed concerns about Girard’s public statements, with council member Annie Kurtz citing her outspoken criticism of the city’s recent actions and stating that such behavior undermined confidence in her ability to collaborate effectively.
“What we don’t need is competitors. What we need is completers to help us move forward,” a council member Mike Kennedy said. “When individuals come forward and engage in name-calling or threaten legal action, it diminishes trust in their leadership.”
In a May interview with the Spokesman-Review, Girard had expressed concern over government involvement in determining what children read at the library. “As a parent, it’s my responsibility to know what my children are reading, not the government’s,” Girard said. However, she also emphasized the library’s role in serving the entire community, regardless of differing viewpoints on specific materials.
