Library Board approves $3,800 for consultant to help in director search

The Belleville Area District Library Board approved paying $3,800 for services of consulting firm Hartzell-Mika to help them find the best new director for the local library.
At the board’s regular meeting April 14, the board was informed they got the services down to $3,800 from a quote of $5,000 and there will be a lesser amount the consultant charges for each trip from Lansing.
The board approved payment of $1,500 to seal the deal.
The job description was posted March 17 and the deadline for applications is April 30. Salary is $75,000 to $80,000 with a competitive benefits package.
The board compared schedules to find out when during the week of May 11 members will be available to meet with Mary Ann Hartzell, the consultant. After that, Hartzell has plans to be gone until the middle of June, Dawson said.
There seemed to be many schedule conflicts and chairman Mary Jane Dawson said, “It may be we don’t get everybody together.”
Dawson said it depends on how many applicants they get as to how much time they will need for interviews. She said there were three applications as of April 14.
Director Debra Green has announced her retirement as of May 15.
In other business at the regular meeting, the board:
• Heard Secretary Joy Cichewicz give a lengthy report on the results of the 831 library surveys filled out and submitted. There are 17,000 library card holders at the Belleville Library. Her report was given again at the library open house the following Saturday, April 18;
• Heard board member Michael Boelter say he would be unable to perform the duties of Personnel Committee chairman for the next five weeks because of job constraints, Tanya Stoudemire agreed to take over;
• Heard audience member Barbara Miller ask the board members to speak up because the audience couldn’t hear what they were saying about the search for the new director. “We want to hear, too. You’re talking among yourselves,” she said. Later in the meeting when they continued talking to each other so the audience couldn’t hear, Miller got up and put on her coat. “I’m leaving you all to talk among yourselves”; and
• Heard John Juriga report that the contractors who did the siding on the library were delayed by snow on the roof and came back to finish. But the wind ripped off some siding and they are coming back to fix that. Also, the front door broke and Juriga had to fix it because they couldn’t get someone to come out early enough.