The Christian County Library Board of Trustees had trouble moving through the consent agenda phase of their meeting Tuesday night, pointing to ongoing friction and misunderstanding between trustees and library leadership.
The consent agenda phase of any meeting by design includes items that are generally approved or not approved. Trustee John Garrity, who serves as the board's treasurer, attempted a motion during this phase, submitting a number of requests for credit card information and "in person access" to that information in QuickBooks. In response interim library director Tory Pegram said it was not the appropriate time to make a motion for new business, pointed towards the library's annual audit for some of the requested information and suggested Trustee Garrity was overstepping his responsibilities for oversight as a trustee.
"The appointment that you want to have," Pegram explained, "is to come look at our QuickBooks, as you said, standing behind Mary. And that is not something that our auditor thinks is a good idea because it is stepping on the operational autonomy of the staff." Garrity offered to read a Missouri statute, he said clarified and backed his request.
The statute Garrity read stated the district owes its trustees information but can submit summaries of that information. Which are regularly included in reports to the board. Pegram indicated Trustee Garrity may better understand the processes if he'd attended a training the district's business department offered all trustee treasurers. He at times argued he had made an effort to schedule the training and at other times dismissed the suggestion.
"If you came to the treasurer training we go through all this with you," Pegram said. "That's why it's really key that you try to come to that." Garrity replied, "it's really key that you just listen to what I'm asking for."
The heated discussion drew crowd responses at times. Trustees Janis Hagen and Mary Hernandez de Carl offered compromises and helped steer the conversation, which ended with Garrity and Pegram taking steps to schedule a training session and Pegram agreeing to provide some of the requested information.
The discussion took up an outsized portion of a meeting that had little additional business. Pegram updated the board and public on MOBIUS, an interlibrary lending resource that has been out-of-service for over a year but is now available again, and the library is welcoming the public to try it and provide feedback. The Springfield-Greene County Library recently cancelled its membership in MOBIUS.
In their last few items of business, the board announced that there will be an opening for a trustee representing eastern Christian County starting in July. Trustee Janis Hagen will reach the end of her term in June. More information about applying can be found on the Christian County Commission's website.
They also informed the public that they've extended a job offer for the district's open executive director job to a Will Blydenburgh. Blydenburgh's LinkedIn lists his current job as a "principal librarian" at the Lee County Library in Cape Coral, Florida. Board President Echo Schneider offered these comments with the announcement:
"The board was impressed with Will's background, current career achievements, and his compelling vision for creating an even stronger future for Christian County Library. His collaborative approach and innovative ideas will help us expand our services, enhance our community engagement and establish Christian County Library as a leading library system in Southwest Missouri for years to come."
Schneider said Blydenburgh's hire is pending background checks, but he is expected to start this summer.
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