Bay County confirms library board appointments after applicant speaks in support of system

The Bay County Board of Commissioners on June 15 confirmed appointments to the Bay County Library Board after a public comment period that included one applicant's remarks.

Heather Heman addressed the board as an applicant for an open library-board position and described the county library system's breadth of services across age groups, from newborn outreach to senior visits and a wide calendar of classes and programs. Heman said she has spent her career with nonprofits and in nonprofit accounting and told commissioners she would be a steward of donated funds, grants and tax dollars if appointed. "I believe in strengthening the Bay County Library system, not shrinking it," Heman said.

After public comment, the board conducted votes for two seats. In the full five-year-term vote the transcript shows the candidate listed as "Tim Xstein" receiving five votes and "Andreas Ty" receiving two. For the partial term ending June 30, 2028, the record shows Susan Row receiving four votes, Heather Heman receiving one and Andreas Ty receiving two. A motion to accept the appointments was made, seconded and carried.

The transcript does not provide a formal roll-call with commissioner names attached to each recorded vote for all positions; vote totals above are taken from the meeting record as announced at the meeting.