By Molly Ann Howell
Managing Editor
When Mayor Marc DePauli recommended two new people for the Library Advisory Board, the decision was met with some opposition from city councilors and Octavia Fellin Public Library Director Tammi Moe.
DePauli had selected Rebecca Bertinetti and Ben Welch for the board. Their appointment appeared on the Feb. 10 city council meeting consent agenda. Under a City of Gallup ordinance, the mayor appoints new LAB members, though the city council must then approve them.
Councilor Sarah Piano, Dist. 3, pulled the item from the consent agenda, citing concerns about the selection process rather than the candidates themselves. She suggested the council discuss the ordinance at a later date.
Piano noted she had harbored these concerns last time she voted on appointing people to the LAB, but she didn’t speak up then. Now, she said, the issue made her feel like she was “having [Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.]”
Councilor Sierra Asamoa-Tutu, Dist. 2, also expressed interest in pulling the item off the consent agenda. She said she’d spoken to many people over the past week who “expressed interest” in the LAB positions. She asked DePauli to explain why he chose Bertinetti and Welch.
DePauli defended his picks, noting that Bertinetti is a lifelong Gallup resident who raised four children in the community and works for Gallup-McKinley County Schools. He chose Welch, a recently retired city employee and lifelong resident, for his experience on other city boards.
Asamoa-Tutu voiced some apprehensions about the two potential appointees, mentioning her concerns about their interest in advancing OFPL.
“Are they interested in advancing the plans and purposes of the library? Because our library is kind of at a pivotal point so I think it’s important that the people appointed do have a passion and an interest in supporting the work at the library,” she said.
She also addressed a rumor that she’d heard that neither Bertinetti or Welch had a current library card.
Following the councilors’ comments, Director Tammi Moe shared her own concerns. She explained that she and the LAB had submitted their own recommendations to the mayor, but he ultimately went in a different direction.
Moe and the board had suggested Matt Shepherd and Christina Fiflis instead. Shepherd, a New Mexico transplant from Colorado who works in child welfare, joined the Friends of OFPL after moving to Gallup in 2019. Fiflis, an attorney specializing in immigration law, frequently visits the library with her grandchildren.
Moe emphasized that she expects a clear commitment from the mayor’s candidates.
“So my ask is simple: when the Board and Library Director do the work to identify strong candidates for a critical moment, we need confidence that our recommendations will be meaningfully considered,” she said. “If the Mayor’s appointments stand, I’m asking for a clear commitment to a shared process going forward—one rooted in alignment, transparency, and the urgency of the work ahead.”
These appointments carry significant weight because OFPL is about to embark on a massive fundraising campaign. In May, Moe presented a plan to raise $25 million over five years to build a new 45,000-square-foot regional library.
At an earlier meeting Moe requested that an additional two members join the LAB. In an interview with the Sun she explained that the additional members will help with fundraising efforts for the capital campaign.
Whereas before the LAB kept track of the library’s statistics and revenue balance, they will now spend most of their time working on fundraising efforts. They also used to meet once a month, but have now cut their meetings to quarterly meetings so that they can spend more time working on fundraising.
Before the council voted on whether or not to appoint Bertinetti and Welch to the LAB, Moe reassured them that she would collaborate with the new members.
“This isn’t about who is worthy of serving—it’s about who is ready for the work this season demands,” she said. “If the mayor’s nominees are appointed, I will absolutely work in partnership with them, and I trust they will serve with integrity.”
The council split the vote. Councilors Linda Garcia, Dist. 1, and Ron Molina, Dist. 4, and DePauli voted to confirm DePauli’s recommendations, while Piano and Asamoa-Tutu voted “no.” The motion passed, and the city officially appointed Bertinetti and Welch to the advisory board.
