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NEWS // Pittsburgh News Roundup
of speakers were supportive of library leadership, the inclusion of The Hips on the Drag Queen Go Swish, Swish, Swish in the catalog, and the library’s commitment to freedom of expression. A few speakers raised concerns about the book’s ageappropriateness, according to a meeting summary.
Emmerling says the supervisors incorrectly told the library board they were not permitted to record the Dec. 20 public meeting.
“We have asked them to point out the objectionable material in the book, and that was not produced,” Emmerling says. “We pointed out that we have a reconsideration of materials form, and there’s a process for this, and no one has filled out that form so that we could properly address the complaint.”
Although the Board of Supervisors has not spoken publicly about their objection to the book and declined to answer any questions from City Paper, Emmerling says the Supervisors have made it clear that they don’t approve of the library’s stance that all of their children’s books deserve equal public promotion.
“They’re holding over our heads very vague but pointed comments like, ‘You need to cool it with those kind of books, if you want to move forward with this process,’ or ‘You all have an agenda, and we are going to reshape the board to counter that,’” Emmerling says.
Samuel McCrimmon, a board trustee since 2020, has similar concerns about where the supervisors might be taking the library.
“The real question right now is what is the place of library, you know, in the township and how important is this library and what does that look like going forward?” he tells CP. “What kind of township do we want?” At the first public meeting of 2023, supervisors made additional appointments against the trustees’ recommendations.
Having interviewed six candidates, the trustees unanimously recommended one individual to join the board alongside three returning trustees seeking another term. The supervisors reappointed two returning trustees, including Emmerling, but declined to appoint the trustees’ unanimous choice, as well as one of the returning trustees.
Emmerling says the newest picks for the library board are neither qualified nor particularly enthusiastic about libraries.
“Well, you’ve done it again,” Emmerling addressed the supervisors after the Jan. 3 vote. “You’ve unilaterally placed two members on the Moon Township library board. For the record, on the ranked-choice of the six candidates you had to choose from, you chose numbers four and six, one of which is
distinctly not qualified. In her review, it does say she said she’s not been inside the library in many years. She is also not a library card holder, nor did she have a particular interest in libraries.”
Repeatedly asked by both Emmerling and the trustees’ top applicant to justify their decision, members of the Board of Supervisors were noncommittal during the meeting. “I know that things have become a little contentious, you know, but it’s nothing against people,” supervisor Jim Vitale said. “It’s something that we just negotiated and figured to put people in certain places.”
“We have, not issues, but we have things that need to be taken care of and done in the next five years,” added board chair Alan Bross.
Emmerling tells CP the library’s purpose is “meeting the needs of our community and caring about the First Amendment and people’s right to read. The library is very much a nonpartisan space. … The library is not to reflect the majority of the community, the library is to reflect all of our community.” •
NEWS JAN. 16 SWASTIKA SIGNS APPEAR IN BUTLER COUNTY
LOCAL LEADERS, led by the YWCA Butler, convened a meeting last week to map out a community-wide response to a newly installed billboard featuring a swastika and other offensive messaging.
The billboard reportedly began displaying messaging Jan. 9 at a prominent intersection in Summit Township. The swastika accompanies the message, “FBI corrupt & dangerous THE GESTAPO.” The board rotates through a range of other slides that contain homophobic and white supremacist statements.
Elizabeth Short, YWCA Butler’s executive director, told Pittsburgh City Paper that over 50 people gathered for a Jan. 11 meeting to discuss a response. “There is a significant number of people who are not willing to sit by and let this hate speech go unchallenged,” Short said.
The billboards are reportedly located on private property and the presumed owner has a history of displaying similar messaging in neighboring Armstrong County. Township officials who supplied the permit told the Butler Eagle it could not intervene because the billboard constitutes freedom of speech.
Laura Cherner of the Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh told City Paper that her organization has been in contact with local law enforcement and has security protocols for responding to possible anti-Semitic threats.
NEWS JAN. 16 GOATS EAT TREES
ACCORDING TO executive director Gavin Demin, Allegheny GoatScape’s landscaping goats could use a treat to break up the winter monotony: your Christmas tree! Deming says Christmas trees are full of vitamin C and natural dewormer, making them a tasty and healthy winter pick-me-up for his hard-working goats.
POLITICS WEINSTEIN ENTERS RACE
LONGTIME Allegheny County treasurer John Weinstein has officially entered the crowded race for county executive. The six-term incumbent launched his bid for the county’s top office with a lavish party on Jan. 12, where guests were encouraged to donate $1,000 for their attendance.
POLITICS RIEGER DROPS OUT
CHRIS RIEGER has dropped out of the race to replace Tom Duerr on Allegheny County Council, citing family health concerns. Competitor Dan Grzybek remains in the running for the soon-tobe vacated District 5 seat.
AFTER CP reported last week on Joanna Doven’s thorny Twitter history, the county council candidate drew further criticism when she sought to credential herself as an LGBTQ ally by publishing a statement from Gary Van Horn, the controversial former president of the also controversial Delta Foundation.
PHOTO: COURTESY OF ALLEGHENY GOATSCAPE
