District Library sets special session to discuss search for new director

After 28 years as director of the library in Belleville, Debra Green has announced her retirement as of May 15 and the Belleville Area District Library Board has to get moving to select a new director.
At its regular meeting on March 10, the library board agreed to meet in special session on March 24, perhaps at 7:30 p.m. The meeting depends on if member Tanya Stoudemire is available that night during this busy tax season.
Stoudemire, a new member of the personnel committee, wrote the documents on hiring a new director that was discussed at the March 10 meeting, in her absence.
At the special meeting the board will discuss interview dates for candidates, interview questions, and whether an outside consultant is needed for any of the steps.
The board decided to go ahead and post the position on library web sites to get the ball rolling and work out the details before the selection process begins.
Director Green suggested they note that applications received by April 30 get first priority.
Personnel Committee Chairman Mike Boelter said there isn’t any urgency because Deputy Director Mary Jo Suchy can fill in as director until the selection is completed.
Secretary Joy Cichewicz noted the board hasn’t talked to Suchy about that, but if she fills in, there’s no one to fill in for her in support as deputy.
Board members agreed they are trying to do the best job they can of finding a new director.
“No matter what we do we’ll get criticized for it. We have to just live with it,” said board member John Juriga.
In other business at the March 10 meeting, the board:
• Approved asking attorney John Day to draft an agreement between the Friends of the Belleville Area District Library and the district library board. This was recommended at the recent state library conference to avoid problems;
• Approved a letter of engagement with auditor Alan C. Young & Associates for the audit of the fiscal year ending June 30, 2015 at the same price as last year;
• Discussed the celebration of National Library Week and the fifth anniversary of the district library with an open house on April 18, possibly from 1 to 3 p.m., with a banner on the bridge, balloons, cakes, prizes, and music;
• Heard Juriga say he had installed a baby-changing table in the restroom. He also said the courtyard/addition area of the roof probably needs a bigger gutter;
• Discussed encouraging people to fill out their library surveys by the March 31 deadline;
• Heard Green announce that she was including a new item on her Director’s Report, that of the number of library visits counted by the new counter. It was 8,825 for February and 17,998 for the year; and
• Was informed the library staff is talking with vendors of copy machines and bids by four companies is expected to be presented to the board at its April 14 meeting. Both library copiers are six years old, repairs have become much more frequent, and the library could take advantage of technology now available.
After the meeting adjourned at 9:10 p.m., the board watched a 10-minute video on “What it Means to be a Trustee.”