Four of five library board candidates backed by a conservative Republican in Madison County were elected Tuesday.
Support from Madison County’s council chairman, Kurt Prenzler, included a paid flyer that decried a drag queen story time and pushed voters to “let kids be kids.†The flyer said it was paid for “Citizens for Kurt Prenzler/Madison County Conservative Caucus and the Candidates.â€
Elected this week to the board of trustees for the Mississippi Valley Library Board were Kathy Murphy, Lisa McCormick, Jeanne Lomax and Virginia York, all supported by Prenzler. His fifth candidate, Chris Shurilla, lost, with the final position going to Cathy Kulupka.
The election is nonpartisan, but it acquired a political slant through candidates’ disagreements over the drag event, a follow-up request for a Christian story time and claims that a sex education book for children 10-12 should not be shelved in the juvenile section of a library.
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Kulupka, a current trustee, ran for reelection, saying she felt like it was a “fight for the library†after hate mail, including a swastika, was sent to the Collinsville Memorial Public Library.
The district, which serves 33,000 residents, has two libraries, the one in Collinsville and one in Fairmont City.
Two of the five winners were elected to fill positions vacated early by previous trustees. Most of the votes for the trustees were placed in Madison County, with fewer constituents in St. Clair County.
Murphy, who was unopposed, received 100% of votes (2,137) for her two-year contest. McCormick defeated Michael Treece (1,553-1,102) for a four-year term.
For full six-year terms, Lomax received 1,544 votes. Kulupka received 1,542 and York got 1,460.
Mark Schusky, president of the board, said by email: “Going forward, I’m hopeful the Library Board will work together in the best interests of everyone we serve. Local government should be about providing services citizens need as efficiently as possible. I hope we continue to focus on that goal and serve our all our constituents well, working cooperatively to do so.â€