Three school board members said they want to take a serious look at the practice of the library board selecting its trustees and submitting names to the board for approval. Instead, the board members said they are interested in the school board advertising for interested community members, interviewing applicants and then making library trustee appointments.
District Superintendent Mark Stefanik said he checked with other boards of education in the area to see how they handle oversight provided by state law.
The boards “allow the library to take care of library needs … but according to statute the board of education has the right to direct that process, if they so choose,” he said. “The library takes care of the library issues … and the board of education acts as supervisory, to make sure the process continues.”
Stefanik was asked by a board member what he would recommend. He didn’t make one, saying the issue doesn’t impact day to day school district operations.
The library board appointments discussion came up after board members questioned why the board hadn’t been asked to approve library board appointments the past couple of years.
Board President Theresa Dunaway said she thinks the school board should follow the same process used by law to select a representative to the Miami Valley Career Technology Center (MVCTC) board. The board took applications for that role, interviewed candidates and appointed a community representative who has worked out quite well, she said.
Board member Corine Doll who asked the board to discuss the appointments said she liked Dunaway’s suggestion. “We need to take our responsibility seriously … be more involved,” Doll said.
Board member Anne Zakkour said that because the board has oversight responsibilities, she would like to ensure any prospective library trustee “has a fair opportunity for consideration of that position.” She said it is important that public libraries are responsive to their community’s makeup and culture.
Board members Joellen Heatherly and Simon Patry said the library board needed to be consulted before any decisions were made.
“I understand we have oversight, but we need to ask for their input and advice. … It would be wise to get some information from the people who run this library,” he said.
Library Board President Linda Parsons issued the following statement following the most recent board of education discussion: “The Tipp City Library Board of Trustees in good faith has managed the Tipp City Public Library for nearly 100 years. The Tipp City Library Board of Trustees, pursuant to the Ohio Revised Code, is an independent body committed to serving the community. The Library Board of Trustees’ application process has always been open and available to all citizens. We are not aware of any complaint or incident to the contrary. We welcome the participation of everyone.”
A former library board trustee and board president in a letter to board members dated Nov. 20 said the process followed for appointing trustees has worked “exceedingly well.”
Karen Jackson of Tipp City wrote she believed for board of education members to become actively involved in trustee selections would be “unfounded and unwise.” The letter was obtained through a public records request of emails and correspondence by board members on the library board appointments issue.
“Tipp City would be the only library in the entire state of Ohio where members of the local School Board became actively involved in the selection of trustees. It is a waste of your time—and the taxpayers’ money. Why take this on? Certainly, there are countless areas related to the operation of our schools that deserve your time more,” Jackson wrote.
Another school district resident posted a call in a parents Facebook page for the community to support the library board. Bryan Blake urged residents to “flood the school board with calls and letters to leave the library board alone, work in partnership with them, but let the seven library board members interview and appoint their trustees. The school board needs to stick to managing the school district and leave these other institutions alone.”
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