Wheaton city council ends dispute with library

City council members have ended a dispute with Wheaton Public Library officials by abandoning a proposal to mandate library hours.

The library board had been in hot water with council members over a plan to close the facility on Fridays. But then last month, the library board reversed its decision.

So the city council on Monday chose not to vote on a proposed law that would have required the Wheaton Public Library to be open six days a week during the summer and all seven days during the school year.

Councilman Phil Suess said the city measure is unnecessary because library board members have agreed to reopen the facility from 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on Fridays starting Sept. 10.

"We have the library board to run the library, and I am grateful for that," Suess said. "A couple weeks ago, the library board took the high road with respect to their decision. I am appreciative of the council doing the same thing tonight."

Library board President Colleen McLaughlin said she is "thrilled" everything has come to a "peaceful conclusion."

Restoring four hours on Fridays will require the library to be open an hour less Monday through Thursday. The plan is to modify the operating hours on those days to 9:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.