District Library Board gives Director Suchy 3.5% salary hike

The director of the Belleville Area District Library got praise all around at the board’s regular meeting on Jan. 9 — as well as a 3.5% salary hike.
Linda Priest, chairperson of the personnel committee, reported on the high marks on the annual director evaluation forms filled out by board members. Priest said the comments were anonymous and Director Mary Jo Suchy got outstanding comments in all categories.
Director Suchy had submitted her goals for the coming year to the committee and Priest reported Suchy planned to upgrade the website, policy revisions, increasing outreach of services, enhanced communications with the teens, and online presence.
The committee proposed a 3.5% salary increase.
Treasurer Tanya Stoudemire, a member of the committee, explained that 3.1% is the current rate of inflation and with Suchy’s raise, it is still under the budget for the last fiscal year.
Her salary went from the present $95,804 to the new $99,158.
Board member John Juriga commented that the salary is less than the principal of a school gets.
It was pointed out that studies of libraries show $100,000 was the average salary for a director’s position. The range for this position in the Belleville Area District Library current budget was from $80,600 to $99,600.
The board unanimously approved the director’s new wage and expressed their enthusiastic support for her work.
Suchy said a committee has been working on a personnel policy, that last had been changed in 2013. They are consulting with an attorney. Dan Fleming has been appointed chairman of the policy committee.
In other business at the Jan. 9 meeting, the board:
• Unanimously approved the same officers for the 2024 board: Sharon Peters, chairperson; Linda Priest, vice chairman; Tonya Stoudemire, treasurer; and Alma Hughes-Grubbs, secretary;
• Reviewed the annual financial audit prepared by Alan C. Young and Associates for the $19 million budget as of June 30, 2023. Fund balance was $5.5 million at the end of that fiscal yea. Treasurer Stoudemire noted it is a clean audit. Suchy said it has an unmodified opinion, the highest opinion an auditor can provide. Chairperson Peters pointed out the district will be able to reduce the taxpayer payment on bonds, “to make the load a little lighter for the taxpayers.” She added the new library has been open four years. Suchy said that Leap Year Day on Feb. 29, 2024, is the library’s four-year anniversary;
• Learned new art was put on exhibit on Jan. 8. For January through March, the gallery space is featuring photography by Gary Washington. Photography from Cheryl Martin will be featured in the library’s display case. The Walker System for hanging art on the walls is working out well, Peters said;
• Heard Suchy report they are tweaking things in the library entryway now that they see how people are using that area. They are getting quotes on a display table and lower chairs and a table for those, including the elderly, who wish to sit down there. The present taller chairs there are not suitable for them, she said. She reported library use on Sundays has risen;
• Discussed how to attract more people to use the Sumpter Media Center. Board member Joy Cichewicz, a Sumpter resident, said she had been talking with a Sumpter man who suggested ways to promote the media center use, including additional signage;
• Reviewed charts prepared by Suchy to show 12 months of use of the Sumpter Media Center for the past three calendar years, including circulation, visits, reference questions, and computer use. Use is slowly rising;
• Learned that at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 7, Maurice Imhoff, historian and president of the Jackson Civil War Muster, will present the history of the 102nd United States Colored Troops, Michigan’s Colored Regiment during the Civil War at this library event;
• Was told the library has hired two, part-time monitors, Esther Walker and April Reed, to be on hand when high school classes begin. The library also hired two part-time library assistants, Lisa Sievert and Maria Barbato. Jennifer Richardson is offering workshops on online resources that the library provides to the public and gave a session on how to Tame Your Email;
• Learned the Friends of the Library is holding their annual meeting at 11 a.m., Saturday, Jan. 20. Their theme this year is “Thank You for Beeing a Friend,” referring to the bee hives on the library roof. Suchy said all the honey from those bees sold out before the holidays;
• Was advised the Classic Movie Series is starting up this year with an Alfred Hitchcock psychological thriller. “Shadow of a Doubt” (1943), will be shown at 6:30 p.m., Thursday, Feb. 8, at the library. It is presented by Friends of the Library and the Belleville Area Council for the Arts;
• Heard Priest report she went to the library after school the day before this meeting and she said, “The kids have a lot of energy.” She said they are nice, but they have a lot of energy. She said there is a lot for them to do at the library. Peters added that she always see some kids studying; and
• Heard Peters say she has completed a full year as board chairperson with these board members and it has been a pleasure. She said she appreciates the whole body and this library director.