Friends of Montesano Library resumes distribution of memorial funds

Published 1:30 am Saturday, April 4, 2026

During the public comment period at the Montesano City Council meeting held on March 24, Lily Pomeroy, president of the Friends of the Montesano Library, shared that the Friends voted to distribute $10,000 from the Charles T. Leigh Endowed Memorial Fund for purchase of materials for the library.

With this vote, the Friends have resumed disbursing endowment funds after a brief pause in 2025. In 1970, Reuben Hollis Fleet created the Charles T. Leigh Endowed Memorial Fund in memory of his long-time friend Charles Leigh.

“Lee became an associate with Consolidated Aircraft Corporation, founded by Mr. Fleet in 1923,” said Pomeroy. “For many years, he was a trusted, faithful employee and friend.”

A year later, the first purchase was made through the endowment. In the subsequent 55 years, income from the invested principle is withdrawn for the purchase of library materials, with the donated amount averaging around $5,000.

In the op-ed “Monte library patrons continue to benefit from men’s long friendship” published in the now defunct The Vidette, Chris Springer, formerly the manager of the Montesano Timberland Regional Library, wrote, “The use of the Charles T. Leigh Endowed Memorial Fund gives us the opportunity to identify needs in the library that are not met by being part of a large library system. For example, we purchase books that are of local interest including history, crafts, gardening, cookbooks and much more. In addition, we also use the endowment to purchase items for our courtesy collection, which are books that people can take home that do not need to be checked out. For the children’s collection we purchase books as well as games and puzzles.”

Fleet’s honoring of his friend benefits not only patrons of the Montesano Library but the entire Timberland Regional Library (TRL) system, as the books are circulated throughout the system. However, unlike other books that will remain on the shelves of the library they are returned at, these books are returned back to Montesano.

“And each book that is purchased with this memorial fund needs to have attached a book plate stating that it was presented to the library by R.H. Fleet in memory of his friend Charles T. Leigh,” Pomeroy said.

Prior to 2024, Pomeroy said the Friends would deposit the funds “in a special account for the librarian to use for purchasing books, and then he [the library manager] would come and show us the books that he had purchased.”

Timberland Regional Library: ‘Not in alignment

In 2024, the Friends received a notice from Kendra Jones, the deputy director of TRL, that they could no longer give money directly to the library manager for purchasing books.

“We were to give it [the funds] to TRL,” Pomeroy said. “We didn’t like that. We lose control. Then they have all these policies, collections material policy, donations and material policy. … It essentially says that once you’ve donated anything to TRL that you no longer have control of it.”

Upon receiving the notice, the Friends sought clarification. In an email sent to members of the Friends group, and shared with The Daily World, Stephenie Reece, TRL public services manager, wrote, “These changes were a result of guidance from the Washington state Auditor’s Office and bring our practices in line with our Gift Policy. Our finance manager discovered that Friends funds were being managed differently from library to library and in many cases the past practice was not in alignment with our policies or requirements from the Auditor’s Office.”

The Charles T. Leigh Fund committee met with Andrea Heisel, the library services director, to discuss their concerns.

“We want to make sure that these books, to follow the stipulation of Mr. Fleet, we want these books to stay in our library,” Pomeroy said.

Heisel outlined the Friends could provide recommendations of what books to purchase and TRL would provide an accounting of what was purchased and that the books would remain at Montesano Library for as long as the Friends stipulated.

“We’ve decided we want them to forever stay in our library, unless it needs to be weeded out because of one reason or another,” said Pomeroy.

Because they paused disbursing funds in 2025, the amount approved at March’s meeting includes 2025 and 2026 disbursements.

The Friends hasn’t drawn up a list of books to purchase yet, but as Springer wrote in the op-ed, “An especially important function that the Charles T. Leigh Endowed Memorial Fund allows us is to purchase books on topics on that are delicate in nature. It is important that we have books on the shelves that address difficulties that people go through in life.”

For example, in 2021 the Friends asked that memoirs be purchased.

“We like to see lots of books in our library because it makes us feel rich, at least I do,” Pomeroy said. “Because books are a type of currency. And once you pay for it, you don’t have to pay for it again.”

Another item purchased through the endowment funds was a 3D printer, which after being used for several years at the Montesano Library, was removed and the Friends group had wondered where it went.

Anna Lisa Rasmussen, communications and media coordinator, shared via email that, “In regards to the 3D printing: TRL began offering 3D printing at the Montesano Library beginning in 2021 supported by Friends group funding,” she wrote. “A second printer was added at the Tumwater Library in 2022. As demand grew, so did the cost of supplies and staff time needed to support the service. Because it was not sustainable long term, TRL stopped accepting 3D printing requests in late 2024. The printers are currently in IT storage.”