According to area media reports, at least two City Councilors have expressed a desire to bring a recently failed agenda item back to the council for reconsideration during its February meeting.
In a 2-2 vote on Jan. 5, the council rejected grant funding used for the past 11 years to fund the salary of the Bartlesville Public Library’s immigration/citizenship literacy assistant. The move puts into question the continuation of programs aimed at helping Bartlesville residents obtain citizenship, in addition to learning English and other languages.
Two of the council’s newest members, Tim Sherrick of Ward 1 and Larry East of Ward 2, declined to accept the grant, which is administered by the Oklahoma Department of Libraries, unless a stipulation was included that the City begin requiring participants to show proof that they are in the U.S. legally.
Mayor Jim Curd and Vice Mayor Trevor Dorsey voted in favor of accepting the grant. Ward 4 Councilor Aaron Kirkpatrick was not able to attend the meeting, resulting in a tie vote on the issue. In cases of a tie, the measure fails.
East has said publicly that he would like to reconsider the issue during an upcoming meeting, and Kirkpatrick has signaled support for the measure on social media. It is likely the matter will be brought back to the council in its February meeting, set for Feb. 3.
The $14,000 grant funds the salary of a part-time Library staff member who teaches the citizenship classes in addition to English and Spanish learning classes. The division also provides in-person onsite and offsite health literacy programs and weekly in-person and virtual literacy classes.
It is anticipated that losing the position could impact a large number of the nearly 100 active learners currently enrolled in the Library’s literacy programs.
View the meeting HERE or at www.cityofbartlesville.org. For more information, see last week’s edition of City Beat.