SILVERHILL, Ala. — The Silverhill Town Council spent most of a short meeting Monday night discussing issues with the Oscar Johnson Memorial Library.

The issues were carried over from the Council’s last meeting July 6 when Council member Shirley Stephens, who serves as the Council’s representative on the Library Board and serves treasurer for the Board, expressed her concerns that she had been taken off the Library’s account six months ago without her knowledge.

“I have written several checks on that account,” Stephens said. “You’d have thought during that time, someone would have said something.”

Stephens said she tried to have the Board’s president Frankie Kucera added to the account. It was then that she was told that she could not make changes to the account because she was not on the account.

Silverhill Mayor Tim Wilson said the confusion over the account started when it was discovered that the account had not been updated as required by town ordinance when the new council was sworn in to office in November.

When it was discoverd in January that that had not been done, the mayor, mayor pro-tem Jared Lyles, and town clerk, who was Bonnie McNeil at that time were placed on the account.

“That’s the way it’s done with every other account we have,” Lyles said. “It’s not like it was done randomly.”

All others were taken off the account at that time.

Stephens has since been added back to the account and said she was told in order to have Kucera added to the account, she needed to get approval from the council.

Wilson had town clerk Patricia Bankester read the ordinance before the council, which states that the volunteer Board has full control over the finances of the library.

Wilson also stated that Carl Johnson, the town’s accountant, stated that the ordinance needed to be ammended to require that a town official sign on any financial transactions with the library.

“We are very fortunate to have Shirley, who is a representative of the council, on the Board at this time,” Wilson said. “But if that should change for some reason, we need to have something in writing stating that a town official has to sign off on anything for the library.”

A motion was made to table ammending the ordinance until the council could get the exact ordinance number and wording for the amendment. Wilson cast the deciding vote in favor of the measure with Stephens and Council member Rodney Criswell voting against the measure. Council member Steve Brooks made the measure, seconded by Lyles. Both voted in favor of the measure. Council member Bert Jones was not present at Monday’s meeting.

Both Stephens and Lyles made measures to add Kucera’s name to the account, but both measures died due to a lack of a second.

“I really don’t think this is something we need to vote on,” Brooks said. “It is in the ordinance that the Board has control over the finances. Either the mayor or the town clerk needs to meet with someone at the bank and get it straightened out. It will be taken care of.”

Stephens also asked the council to allow the Board to pursue changing the account to another bank. Wilson responded that the Council will support whatever the Board decides to do.

In other business, Superintendent of Utilities Steve Williams informed the council that the air conditioner at the library needed to be replaced.

Williams said he would get prices on replacing the unit. Previously, he said, Stephens purchased the unit on behalf of the Board and was reimbursed by the town.

The council also voted unanimously to purchase a plaque in front of the old People’s Supply building for Elsie Chandler. The 18-inch by 18-inch plaque will cost $150.