Proposal would eliminate 16 librarians

From: Darcy Sjomeling, Delano

The Great River Regional Library branch in your community may be losing much needed service and management soon. Let Vince Schaefer, library board president know that you value your branch librarian and do not want to see her position change or be eliminated.

A restructuring proposal by Great River Regional Library would eliminate 16 or more of 32 branch librarians and require the remaining few to manage up to four branches.

Although cuts are necessary in the system to maintain 0 percent growth in next year’s budget, concerned citizens advocate cutting more hours from top management at Great River Regional Library headquarters instead of at busy branches.

Visit your branch librarian for more information, write to Board President Schaefer at vince.schaefer@co.stearns.mn.us, or PO Box 66 Rockville, MN 56369, and attend the next library board meeting at the St. Cloud branch library Tuesday, July 14, 7 p.m., to voice your concern.

Time for bicycle riders to learn a lesson

From: Gordon Schmidt, Loretto

In traveling along Co. Rd. 19 in western Hennepin County we came upon three bike riders who were riding right on the white side line of the main road.

Our tax money just spent millions of dollars to rebuild the highway and add a bicycle path along the road about 10 feet off the main road. The riders refused to go on the bike trail and instead hogged Co. Rd. 19.

I suggest that the police start warning these people to stay off the road when there is a bike trail right next to it. They are passing out $100 tickets for first offense of not wearing a seat belt (my friend just got one) when, in fact, they should be passing out tickets to the bicycle riders who are causing much more danger to themselves and drivers.

I would suggest a first offense for seat belt of $25, not $100. I would also think that the police have a much more valuable role to play than ticketing seat belt rule breakers.

I understand the logic, as the government is going broke and any added revenue will help the situation.