Abilene City Council OKs library resolution, DCOA projects, talks airport investment

The Abilene City Council last week addressed what to do about potential "obscene material and performance and harmful materials for minors" at the Abilene Public Library.

In a unanimous vote Thursday, council approved a resolution that "unequivocally directs staff to protect minors from obscenity and harmful materials" in accordance with provisions of the Texas Penal Code.

City Manager Robert Hanna said clarity was sought after a local group this year pressed the city to be more proactive in what it offers and displays at the city's three library locations. The group deemed dozens of books inappropriate for younger readers.

"Council wanted to make it clear to the community that we do not have or allow pornography, obscenity or content that could be harmful to minors, as defined by the state of Texas," Hanna said in review Friday.

"Now, if an individual person feels like the content is harmful to their minor, that's their decision. But the library does not trade in books that are harmful to minors that would meet that legal definition. Council wanted to be very clear about that."

Thus, a resolution was proposed to be "more black and white" on questions that recently have been raised, Hanna said.

"So that people who are concerned that maybe we are would know that the council has said we are not doing that," he said.

The resolution tilts more discretion toward the city manager, who ultimately has the power to remove books that violate the resolution.

Currently, he said, there are 33 books under review based on public challenge. This year, one book was publicly targeted, titled "Let's Talk About It: The Teen's Guide to Sex, Relationships and Being a Human." Written in graphic novel format, the book is intended for teen readers and contains often explicit illustrations and text detailing topics ranging from gender and sexuality to masturbation, safe sex, sexting, "kinks, fantasies and porn" and how to deal with rejection.

Although it never had been checked out here until those opposing it did so, the book was removed from the Abilene library system by Hanna.

"Some citizens have said, hey, we're concerned about the content. That's being reviewed by the library board," he said. "They'll make a decision, and that recommendation will come to me, and I'll make a decision on whether I support the recommendation or not. I think the process is working."

Hanna said the resolution serves two purposes:

• "Assure the community" that policy is in place.

• "When we determine what we're going to buy for the library, this resolution becomes a part of our collection procurement policy ... we make sure we're not violating state law or procuring anything that could potentially be harmful."

Hanna acknowledged librarians have taken heat, unfairly.

"Those librarians aren't paid enough as it is," he said. "At some lever, there's always going to be conflict over content in books. Ever since there was a public library, people have disagreed over what could be in it.

"The process we intent to use is this reconsideration process. If there is a citizen who says, 'Hey, I don't like this book,' we go through a very public process that involves the community, that involves the (library) board. They make a recommendation and I review it."

Hanna said he listened to both sides of the argument regarding "Let's Talk About It" and decided "it needs to go."

Back to (local) business

In other business, council OK'd two efforts by the Development Corporation of Abilene.

One was an economic incentive package to provide a loan and a forgivable grant for Tigé Boats, which is located just east of Abilene Regional Airport on State Highway 36, for expansion plans and to hire.

Founded in 1991, Tige produces high-end, fiberglass boats.

Asked why DCOA funds would be used for a successful, existing business rather than one starting in Abilene, such as the neighboring Great Lake Cheese Company facility, Hanna said, "because it's an existing business and they are adding another couple of hundred jobs. They have several million dollars in investment and if you look at the total incentive package and what they are doing, it's pretty reasonable based off their request for the jobs being created."

Hanna believes the average jobs if $50,000.

"These are good jobs for Abilene," he said.

The other for an unnamed local industry that wants to add jobs while also relocating in Abilene.

"They are expanding their infrastructure and a payroll commitment is part of their deal, too," Hanna said.

"Again, it's all a re-investment in existing businesses. One of the things DCOA gets criticized for is 'all they do is bring in new people. They don't ever take care of the people who are here.' Well, this is clear evidence that they do. If you're here and you are reinvesting in Abilene, Texas, then DCOA wants to make sure that if the deal makes sense and is worthy of public assistance, then they are there to help."

The business was not named because real estate transactions are ongoing, he said.

"Both of these are local businesses that are expanding, which is great," Hanna said.

A third business-related item was Rainy Creek project, which Hanna described as a "mixed use apartment complex and retail development off Scottish Road.

Scottish Road is on the west side of Interstate 20, near the highly developed State Highway 351 area.

The road recently was closed with council approval and deeded to the property owners, Hanna said.

About the airport

A plan is in the works to "partner a fuel and retail establishment that would be located on airport property," Hanna said. The airport is located on the west side of State Highway 36.

It would be part of a new entry to the airport, he said.

"We have not signed the deal yet, we've not finalized negotiations but I anticipate us being very close," Hanna said.

The business would be "an opening into a corporate campus environment where you have aviation-related uses, maybe in conjunction with Dyess, maybe in conjunction with expansion of aviation-related businesses in Abilene," he said. "Some of that is aspirational, no doubt about that. But you have to start somewhere."

Hanna said Don Green, transportation services director for the city, and the airport board, "have painted a pretty compelling image for Abilene Regional to be something more than just a sleepy little general aviation airport with just American Airlines flying in and out.

"It's really positioning us well."

This article originally appeared on Abilene Reporter-News: Council OKs library resolution, DCOA projects, talks airport investment