The Journal Star is shocked — shocked! — that at-large city councilman Gary Sandberg has been helpful as the city’s library liaison. The headline today is “Library’s unlikely advocate: Sandberg.” Ed Szynaka, director of the library, is quoted as saying:

“But he’s gone above and beyond his role as the council liaison. He hasn’t missed one meeting. He’s well-prepared and we’ve benefited greatly from his extensive knowledge of the process.”

And Frank Gold, chairman of the library board’s building subcommittee, added:

“I think differently about Gary than I did at the beginning,” Gold said. “He coached us back from our initial misstep and has been a strong supporter of the project. He’s been nothing but helpful.”

Well-prepared, extensive knowledge, commitment to basic services… who doesn’t know this about Gary? Why is this a big surprise — so big, in fact, that it merits a front-page, above-the-fold headline? Apparently the confusion comes because the newspaper and others don’t see libraries as a basic service; they see them as a “quality-of-life” amenity.

The most surprising thing to me was not that Gary was helpful and prepared, but that Gary evidently allowed himself to be interviewed by the Journal Star. Gary’s had a pretty well-known feud with the paper, and hasn’t granted an interview with them for years.

Naturally, a majority of the other council members, who have had no problem imposing/maintaining the garbage tax fee that’s almost universally opposed, are reticent to impose a tax that 72% of voters approved in a non-binding referendum.