The disagreement over new members for the Overton County Library Board continued as Board Member Thelma Banner issued a formal complaint against Library Board Chairman Jerry Schetterer.
Banner accused Schetterer of harassment and intimidation. Banner said the issue stemmed from several books that were agreed to be moved to the adult section. Since then, Banner said, Schetterer has allegedly threatened her and called multiple special meetings without her.
“I have talked to some people about this to get advice,” Banner said. “I have been told that he committed a Class B felony by threatening, bullying and in general intimidating an elderly, almost 80-year-old woman.”
Schetterer said he did not harass Banner. The board approved the nominations of Bruce Guthry and Rory Morris to the board. Cindy Robbins stepped down as the board chairman and the board nominated Phillip Talley to take her place.
“I’ve never threatened anyone in my life, especially an 80-year-old woman, so I’m not too sure where she is coming from,” Schetterer said.
Banner said she plans on pursuing the matter in county court. She also alleged Schetterer knowingly falsified the minutes from the previous board meeting. Schetterer said it was the first he had heard of the complaint and denied the allegations while claiming the meeting was in violating of open meeting and records request laws.
“As the chair, I don’t threaten anybody,” Schetterer said. “But I will control a meeting. And when a board member slanders, without any proof whatsoever, our (Library) director (Judith Cutwright), I am going to call it out and stop that type of slander.”
During the public comment period, library employee Chelsea Paxton said many of the board members make decisions without being active members in the library. Paxton said members lack awareness of the library’s strengths and weaknesses.
“I don’t see any of you guys in there, so, that seems to be a little bit of a problem to be making decisions based on how you feel and how other people tell you, instead of experiencing it first-hand,” Paxton said. “Ms. Thelma, you were one of the one’s (Judith) chose and that didn’t seem to be a problem then, but now because we don’t get our friends on there, there’s an issue,” Paxton said.
County Commissioner Donna Savage said Schetterer spoke disrespectfully to her and other board members during the discussions about books on LGBTQ topics several months ago.
“Mr. Jerry spoke to each and everyone of us like a dog,” Savage said. “Like a dog. So, I do see the hostility in the library board. So I just wanted to make the board aware of that.”
Schetterer said the state mandated the book review which led to them being moved to the adult section of the library. Schetterer said the board identified several books in question, which is why he called a special meeting.