The Churchill County Librarian faced criticism last week during the regular Churchill County Library Board meeting as board members discussed the budget report, reviewed the library hours, and considered the Library Director’s annual evaluation.
Despite the two recent departures, the remaining staff, consisting of three positions and the director, are valiantly striving to cover the 55 hours of operation each week.
Director C.L. Quillen has suggested cutting library hours as a possible solution and has consulted with the state library to gather potential ideas. “I don’t know how to cover 55 hours and allow for vacations,” she said.
The library staff keeps at least two staff in the building at all times for security reasons.
Quillen has considered Monday through Friday hours and closing Saturdays or Tuesday through Saturdays, closing Mondays. “Mondays have typically been the slow day; Tuesday through Saturday is more advantageous to patrons who work during the week. I have one staff member left who said she will quit if she has to work every Saturday,” Quillen said.
Due to county budget shortages, department heads have been asked to cut the last quarter of their 2024 operating budgets by 10% and their 2025 proposed budgets by 15%. Quillen said that with rising utility costs and copier and computer costs all growing, it has been challenging to meet that request. “Books have been canceled,” she said about purchasing materials for the library. She also explained that she could not agendize a request from the trust to continue the book purchases and would put that item on the next agenda.
Human Resources Director Chris Spross was on hand to present the Library Director’s annual evaluation and explained that chief executive positions must be discussed in an open session. He provided two comprehensive reports to the board prior to the meeting: one that included comments from the individual board evaluations along with the grades for each item evaluated and one that was distributed to the director for review.
He explained that one board member had asked to change the evaluation she had submitted, but he wondered if there were additions or changes to bring that discussion to the meeting.
Board member Jo Petteruti commented that she was glad Quillen scored high in Relationship with Customers, Takes Suggestions from Board, and Innovation.
Board Chair Kelli Kelly said she had significant concerns about the review and Quillen’s performance. “I have reached out and have been approached by our library community to ask about the culture and communication, about the satisfaction of patrons, and I have heard from other departments who sought me out about the working relationship with C.L. I do not feel comfortable moving to approve this evaluation.”
Kelly said she attended the last staff meeting at the library, along with Board member Ashley McGarity, to listen to staff discuss ideas for meeting budget constraints. She was concerned about how potential cuts would impact library services. She was impressed with the staff's ideas and willingness to be creative to meet the community's programming needs.
McGarity said the staff's productivity inspired her: “They want to connect to the community and are doing a lot with very little resources.”
Board member Tara Price Gritzmacher asked why certain board members were invited, and some were not.
“I wanted to attend,” said Kelly, “and it certainly is within the purview of the board to attend meetings under the constraint of the Open Meeting Law. We have to make sure we don’t constitute a quorum.”
During Public Comment, Joe Salsman, who has served as the IT Librarian for several years, spoke regarding his resignation. “I was asked by C.L. to provide feedback on what, if anything, she could have done different on managing the library staff. I didn’t answer at the time because I feared any response would be nonconstructive, argumentative, and combative. In lieu of a formal exit interview I will comment, on the record, the reason for my decision. C.L. has been adversarial to the staff and patrons, and her administrative disfunction have been damaging to the library’s ability to serve the community for her tenure. The chaotic and hostile environment lead me to seek other employment. I felt I could no longer be of service under these conditions that are harmful to the community and to the staff.”
The Board set a special meeting to discuss the evaluation on May 9, 2024, at 4 p.m. in the County Commission Chambers. Public comment can be submitted in person or written to Pam Moore at the clerk’s office or emailed to [email protected].
Churchill County meetings are available on YouTube at YouTube.com/@ChurchillCounty.
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