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Fight over library tree plan heads to court By Sara Murphy ASHLAND � Charles Ryberg believes a petition seeking to save the city library�s trees from the ax doesn�t disclose its true motive: to stop the library expansion project. He�s taking it to court. Ryberg, a Southern Oregon University English professor, filed papers in a Jackson County court Monday challenging the tree-saving petition as illegal. It prevents petitioners from gathering signatures until a judge rules on the challenge. Even if the challenge fails, it may stall signature-gatherers long enough to miss the deadline to put their initiative on the March ballot. The initiative would amend city code to prohibit the removal of trees on the Ashland library property unless the tree is dead, dying or dangerous. Ryberg challenged the petition on the grounds that the explanation does not "summarize the major effect, which is to prohibit the reconstruction and expansion of the Ashland City Library." Ryberg�s wife, Barbara, is president of the Friends of the Ashland Library. Chief petitioner Bob Taber had planned to begin circulating petitions Friday. He needs to gather about 1,670 signatures and have them verified by the Jackson County Clerk�s Office by Dec. 12 to place the initiative on the March 13 ballot. The challenge states that the initiative "would have a severe fiscal impact on the citizens of Ashland" because the library bonds "have already been sold and much of the money already spent." "If the trees cannot be cut, the planned expansion cannot be built," Ryberg wrote. "This is not made clear in the petition." Ryberg also argues that the petition does not make clear that unspent funds from the bond measure cannot be used to build the library at another location. The levy, passed by voters, specified the funds to be used for restoration and expansion of the Carnegie building. Ryberg declined to comment on the challenge Tuesday, deferring to his court petition. "I spent a lot of time on that," he said. "I think it says everything I wanted to say." Taber said he expects the court to deny the challenge, but the delay will stop him from gathering signatures for at least a week. "It�ll make it more interesting," he said. "We�ll make it, that�s all I can say." While awaiting the court�s decision, Taber said the petition-gatherers will organize to launch their signature-gathering campaign. "When we launch, woo-hoo!, watch out," he said. Mail Tribune Home | Ottaway Newspapers, Inc. | Dow Jones & Co., Inc. | Privacy | Contact Us Copyright � 2000 Mail Tribune, Inc.