The survey questions candidates on their library usage and what they feel the role is between local government and the public library.
Only six responses were received by survey coordinator Gerald Patout, library director at Louisiana State University Eunice’s LeDoux Library.
Of the 17 candidates for Eunice mayor and city council who were sent surveys, only three responded; Candidate for Ward 1 Alderman George Fisher and mayoral candidates Chawana Fontenot and Claud “Rusty” Moody.
Their responses are as follows:
George Fisher, candidate for Eunice Alderman, Ward 1:
Do you use the local public library? “No”
If not, why not? “Working as principal at the Eunice Adult Education Center, I just don’t have the time. If I had the time I would.”
What are some of the challenges as well as opportunities for the local public library relative to city government?
Challenges: “ I see a great educational need for the public library a) special programs for studnts b) reading and computer skills c) a full-schedule year-round program for youth and those youngsters who are under court order d) work and set up program for families who would like to take the opportunity to work along with their child.”
Opportunities: 1. To set goals and objectives to work along with the public library.
2. To help promote the importance of the public library.
3. To get schools involved in the public library.
If elected, what is your specific vision for local public library service as relates to city government? 1. Help in funding library.
2. Work citywide to keep the public library operating.
3. Promote the value of our local public library.
4. Have a good relation with the local public library and what value it represents to kids and families in aiding and securing a value landmark in the areas of a) letter-reading skills b) writing skills c) computer literacy
5. My final objective is to promote, promote, promote the value of the local public library and what value it is to the community.
Chawana Fontenot, candidate for Eunice Mayor:
Do you use the local public library? “Yes”
If so, what purposes are you using the library for? “I use the Eunice Public Library for recreational reading. During the summer as a child, one of my fondest memories is walking to the library to check out the maximum limit on books and reading each afternoon. The walking back the following week to get more! Even though time does not allow me to spend a lot of time at the library, every time I walk in the doors, it is like stepping into another world that is so peaceful, serene and relaxing.”
What are some of the challenges as well as opportunities for the local public library relative to city government?
Challenges: “In a small city government there are always challenges to make existing programs better and sometimes to simply keep the programs in existence. The City of Eunice challenge is to keep our local library in good condition, maintaining the building and the programs that we have now.”
Opportunities: “The City of Eunice is fortunate to have a wonderful working relationship with the Opelousas Public Library that allows our citizens to have access to, not just books in Eunice, but books in Opelousas.”
If elected, what is your specific vision for local public library service as relates to city government? If I am elected as Mayor of the City of Eunice, my vision would be to better open the lines of communication between the library and city government so that we could team together to find additional funding to grow the library with more computers and other modern technology.
“I would like to see our library have expanded hours to accommodate working individuals. The library could possibly be utilized for small group meetings. The Eunice Public Library could also have activities, not just geared to young children, but to the adults in our community.”
Claud “Rusty” Moody, candidate for Eunice Mayor:
Do you use the local public library?
If not, why not? “I am not a regular patrom of the public library, as I enjoy access to newspapers, local television and radio broadcasts and the internet from my home. I also read novels frequently and belong to a group that regularly trades books back and forth. However, I also recovnize the availability of all these features within the public library and I appreciate the value of having these resources at the public’s disposal.”
What are some of the challenges as well as opportunities for the local public library relative to city government?
Challenges: “One of the most obvious challenges for any facet of community involvement is the allocation of funding for those initiatives. Ideally, a community would have unlimited funding for all initiatives, but such a situation is rare.”
Opportunities: “The opportunity therein exists for government to maintain open and honest communication with all facets of the community, including the public library system, in discussing the allocation of city resources, and also to identify the best possible ways to incorporate the library’s resources within the community to improve literacy, education and active participation.”
If elected, what is your specific vision for local public library service as relates to city government? “I come from an extensive background in education and the promotion of literacy and libraries are critical contributors to the progress of these initiatives. Eunice certainly stands to benefit from having a successful and efficient library system integrated within the community and that relationship is what I intend to prioritize. As promised in my mission statement, I intend to open communication and provide support for all organizations in the Eunice community, promote our economy and provide opportunities for our children. A viable public library is a valuable asset in achieving this mission, and I will work hand-in-hand with the library system and its supporters through the budgeting and allocation process and to identify metholds for improving the existing system.”
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