ST. CHARLES COUNTY, Mo. — A resolution in support of access to libraries and opposed to the proposal of closing three St. Charles City-County branches was passed Tuesday night by the St. Charles County Council.

This comes after the St. Charles City-County Library Board of Trustees debated the potential closure of McClay Library in St. Charles, Deer Run in O’Fallon and Kisker Road near Weldon Spring at a special meeting earlier this month. 

CEO Jason Kuhl argued the closures are necessary to pay staff a competitive wage at its remaining branches. Kuhl said the salary increase is necessary to improve its ongoing recruitment and retention problems.

The vote on the library closures was postponed until mid-July, allowing board members to bring other proposals to the table.

The County Council’s resolution aligns with many residents who have expressed opposition to the library closures. 

The resolution also “urges” the St. Charles City-County Library District Board to request an audit from the state.

At Tuesday night’s meeting, Councilman Mike Elam thanked the library board for tabling the vote of the closures. 

“I think the biggest thing for most of us and why people are in such shock is we had no idea,” he said. “I don’t think what’s going on with the library is anything new.”

Elam said costs have been rising for “a very long time.” He mentioned that the Library’s expensive electronic materials have been a concern. 

“Why wasn’t the public informed much earlier,” Elam said. “And why is closing two branches and then making another one a warehousing area the first solution that we hear.”

Elam said the County Council has limited oversight of the library system. He said the library board should look at alternative ideas.

Councilman Joe Brazil said closing the library branches “doesn’t make sense to me whatsoever.”

“It seems like they’re over spending, obviously, because they’re not balancing their books.”

Councilman Dave Hammond said it was “exorbitant” that the St. Charles City-County spent $3.5 million on books and videos in 2023. He said he would like to see all of the library branches stay open.

Councilwoman Nancy Schneider said she was “shocked to see that apparently our library system is in such disarray and is so far from being able to supply the needs of the county that they want to close libraries.”