A Geelong councillor says he will withdraw a proposed notice of motion to investigate the city exiting the Geelong Regional Libraries Corporation, and instead moving library operations in-house.
Councillor Ron Nelson resigned from his role as GRLC chair on May 14 after the corporation proposed to close three libraries and slash the opening hours of seven others, claiming council had underfunded the libraries by $1m.
Mr Nelson had put forward a notion of motion to investigate whether council should operate the libraries, and had called for a review of the corporation’s existing operations.
The motion was to be raised at Tuesday’s City of Greater Geelong council meeting.
The notice, listed in the meeting’s agenda, was filed before GRLC announced its decision to keep libraries open.
“The council must strategically consider what the best model for the delivery of library services within the Greater Geelong community is to ensure continuation of our community services,” the notice read.
On Sunday, Mr Nelson confirmed his intention to withdraw the notice.
In a statement he said: “This prompt has had the desired effect, and on Friday, the Corporation Board voted to reverse their decision to close these three libraries. I thank them for that.”
“Based on this information, I will formally request at next Tuesday nights’ Council Meeting that my proposed Notice of Motion be withdrawn,” he said.
“ I also pledge I will continue my long-term commitment to libraries as an essential service in the Geelong community and investigate how does council ensure the Geelong Library Corporation doesn’t try this stunt for a third time in the future.”
Mr Nelson claimed some people were “spreading mistruths” and called for the corporation minutes and “those voting to close libraries” to be disclosed.
“Everyone should request the Corporation release this information as soon as possible,” he said.
Earlier, the corporation’s former chief executive Patti Manolis slammed the proposed notice of motion on social media, stating “shame on you”.
“What do you think you’re doing?” she wrote.
“Do you think that the CoGG can run libraries and on-sell library services turning a profit for yourselves from neighbours council and communities (?).”
Mr Nelson vowed to “fight passionately for the libraries in our community”.
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