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Kosciusko County Council reappointed Jennifer Hicks to the Warsaw Community Public Library Board of Trustees Thursday, but only after a month delay and several questions.
Her reappointment was originally on the council’s agenda for their June meeting, but the council tabled it to their July meeting to see if there were other candidates who wanted to be considered.
On the council’s July agenda were Hicks’ and Chris Bammerlin’s names, but Bammerlin’s name was removed. Council President Tony Ciriello did not say why Bammerlin’s name was omitted but said the library was asking for Hicks’ reappointment. The four-year term expires June 30, 2030.
Council Vice President Kathy Groninger asked Hicks if she lived in the library district and for how long. Hicks, who lives in Winona Lake, said she’s lived in the district for 18-19 years.
Ciriello asked how long she’s served on the library board, to which Hicks said eight years.
Councilman Will Stockdale asked Hicks to talk about the library board’s composition, as far as expertise with renovations, repairs and finance. He also asked her about her specific qualifications.
In May, the Warsaw Common Council voted not to approve an approximate $17 million bond for renovations and repairs to the Warsaw Public Library. Shortly thereafter, Library Director Heather Barron left her position. The library was closed Monday due to a mechanical issue.
In a procedural vote at their June meeting, the county council reaffirmed their vote on a Jan. 8 resolution allowing the Syracuse-Turkey Creek Public Library to move forward on a bond issue for a new $7.385 million library building.
Responding to Stockdale’s question, Hicks replied, “I am a teacher at Warsaw Community High School, so I’ve lived through a couple renovations at the school, and, of course, personal renovations at my home. I’m also working towards a master’s degree in library and information sciences at Indiana University.”
She said the library board has a couple members who are “financial people” and work at local banks. There’s also technology people, a former librarian from the school library and the current librarian at Ivy Tech. There’s former librarians and teachers.
“It’s a pretty diverse board. Men, women, different age groups and we have a lot of different expertise that we bring to the board,” Hicks said.
Councilwoman Kimberly Cates asked if any board member was involved in construction. Hicks said not directly involved.
“Your current treasurer, Ben Rice, is running for school board,” Stockdale said. “If he wins on school board, can he continue to serve on the library board?”
Rice was not present to speak for himself. Robin Fosnaugh, WCPL administrative liaison, said she’s not had any conversations with Rice about what his plans are.
Ciriello said the county council needed to make and approve a motion on whether to accept Hicks’ reappointment, table it or deny it. “It is our appointment, so we have the right to make those decisions,” he stated.
“So, while I sort of question the logic of when the commissioners have two appointments to this board, the council has two appointments to this board and the school corporation has three appointments to his board, us appointing a teacher - we haven’t had another qualified candidate step forward - so at this point I would make a motion to approve Jennifer Hicks,” Stockdale said.
The motion was approved 4-3, with Council members Joe Irwin, Rachael Rhoades and Dave Wolkins opposed. Voting with Stockdale were Groninger, Cates and Ciriello.
At the end of Thursday’s meeting, Ciriello said the library asked the council to reappoint Hicks to the board, but provided them with no information on her. He said if someone is going to be appointed or reappointed to a board, the council wants information or a resume on them from either the person being appointed or the organization asking for the appointment to be made.
Elsewhere in the meeting, Karl Stutzman, Milford Public Library director, and Mindy Brooks, MPL Board of Trustees member, asked for spending permission for up to $87,000 to do some facilities repairs “that are a little more significant than the usual stuff.”
The repairs will be on the library’s HVAC systems, elevator, IT and electrical/lighting.
“It is quite possible that this will not cost the amount that is targeted there. That’s kind of a maximum,” he said.
Ciriello said based on the information that was sent to the council, “You guys have the money in the bank to take care of these. No additional appropriation is requested from taxpayer dollars because you guys have been frugal with your money, saved your money, right?”
“Absolutely,” Stutzman replied.
Irwin read a part of a letter sent from the library to the council. “On the funds available, the Milford Library Board has been planning over a number of years to be prepared for facilities’ maintenance needs, tracking capital projects, priorities. Setting funds aside from library improvement reserve fund and rainy day fund,” Irwin read, then said, “My hat off to you for that.”
Rhoades agreed the library did a “very good job. A very, very good job.”
Ciriello stated Stutzman was before the council in January to tell them the request would be coming, and that gave the council plenty of notice to think about it.
Stockdale said he took a tour of the Milford Public Library a couple weekends ago with Stutzman. He agreed the repairs were needed.
The council approved the request unanimously.
