Library board selects John Juriga to fill seat of Alma Hughes-Grubbs

After a report from the bylaws committee, the Belleville Area District Library Board at its regular meeting on Feb. 10 passed a resolution to fill the vacancy created by the Jan. 7 death of elected board member Alma Hughes-Grubbs.
According to the bylaws, the vacancy is filled by a majority vote of the remaining board members and since it is more than 140 days before the next board election on Nov. 3, the appointed board member will only serve until Dec. 31.
There are four, four-year seats up for election on Nov. 3 and Hughes-Grubbs vacancy will be filled by fifth place on the ballot, for two years to fill the remainder of her term.
The deadline to file for a place on the ballot is the middle of July.
The resolution appointed former, longtime board member John Juriga, who did not run for reelection last year. All five board members present voted in favor of the appointment, with treasurer Tanya Stoudemire absent.
Juriga was invited to take a seat at the board table immediately. He is to be sworn in at the March 10 meeting by 34th District Court Judge Lisa Martin.
Maria Jackson-Smith, of the bylaw committee, reported the committee met Jan. 27 and after discussion recommended to ask Juriga to fill the seat.
“It is gratifying to learn a former colleague expressed a willingness to fill in on the board,” said board president Sharon Peters.
Later board member Daniel Fleming, who had been elected to fill Juriga’s seat on the board, said he misses Hughes-Grubbs who was a cheerful face across the board table from where he sits, “But I’m glad John’s here.”
Peters agreed. “We still feel her absence.” She said several board members attended her funeral service in downtown Detroit. She said Juriga and another former longtime board member Mary Jane Dawson also attended the service.
She said they brought copies of the Independent with the story of her death and her picture on the front page to share with the family.
“We showed them that in our small town, Alma was front-page news,” Peters said.
She also mentioned the editorial on an inside page that said, “Alma Jean Hughes-Grubbs was so warm and loveable, you would never know she was a retired Detroit cop.”
Peters said at the funeral, Hughes-Grubbs was highly honored as a police officer with a police color guard and a speaker who had run for mayor of Detroit.
In other business at the one-and-a-half-hour meeting on Feb. 10, the board:
• Heard Peters read off her suggestions for board members she could assign to the seven different committees for the year. Those who want to change any of the assignments were to let her know their wishes;
• Heard library director Mary Jo Suchy report that the price of salt has gone up dramatically, resulting in an increase in fees from the library’s snow removal company. The company also is concerned about delays in delivery of salt due to the recent demand. She said the library paid $6,000 for salting in January. She said the company they use has been in business for 19 years and say this is the worst they’ve ever seen. “Spring cannot come soon enough,” she added;
• Heard Suchy announce changes in the Youth/Teen Department. Tara McCann is stepping away from her duties as head of Youth/Teen Services to focus on being a youth/teen librarian. Librarian Karen Dubke is in training to assume the role of head of the department and the transition will be complete March 9. Both expressed they are happy with their new roles. Suchy said Dubke is young and has a lot of energy;
• Learned that due to a contribution from the Friends of the Library, the library is offering free book bags to new parents and their babies. Each bag contains a board book to keep, plus information and tips about early literacy and the library. Also, Tonies are now available for checkout in the children’s room. Tonies are audio players with figurines for kids. The Toniebox plays songs and/or stories when you place a Tonie figurine on top. Suchy brought a free book bag and a Tonie to show the board;
• Heard Suchy tell of upcoming events, including the Feb. 26, 6:30 p.m. “Observing the Night Sky” put on by the Warren Astronomical Society outside of the Sumpter Media Center. If the weather is bad, a program will be put on inside the media center. Also, genealogists from the Fred Hart William Genealogical Society will provide expert guidance on African American family history research at a program called “Telling Your Stories, Finding Your Roots” on Saturday, Feb. 21 at 2 p.m.;
• Learned the recent annual meeting of the Friends of the Library was well attended. Suchy said she spoke at their meeting, telling how instrumental they are in all that the library does, including helping to fund the jazz programs, the Memory Café, and summer reading programs. Nikki Pickeral made a thank-you video for them, featuring attendees from some of the programs, library staff, and others;
• Was invited to “The Shared Harvest: Building Community Through Our Local Farm,” sponsored by the Rotary Club and the library at 6:30 p.m., Feb. 24. Melanie and Shane Convery of Crafted Earth Farm will give an inside look at how we grow food that feeds both the body and the community. This session is designed to connect people with the local food system; and
• Heard Nikki Pickeral announce her program “Sincerely Yours, Local History Through Letters,” is set for 7 p.m., March 11, at the library. She will read letters that have been archived at the Belleville Area Museum and share information they reveal about the Belleville area.