Library Board Meetings Draw Crowds
Staff change plans and budgeting raise opposition
By David Ofshinsky
While most meetings the Port Jervis Library Board of Trustees attract only a few people, there was large turnout for the two meetings held last week.
On the morning of May 20, over a dozen people packed the library’s downstairs community room for the monthly meeting of the Library Board of Trustees. On the evening of Thursday May 22, over 35 people filled a room on the main floor for the annual Budget Hearing.
The impending termination of library Director Curran Koehler was the main reason people came out. Koehler, who has only been on the job since last September, replaced another director who also had been in the position for a short period. Since this is a confidential personnel matter, neither Koehler nor the Board were able to speak on it.
While the director issue was at the forefront, several of those who spoke during the Public Comment portions of both meetings also voiced their opinions on other matters.
Ginger Schott said the she has enjoyed the library since moving to the area 28 years ago. It was a great place for her children to go, and she’d like families to continue to benefit from it.
Peter Grech took issue with the recently enacted Patron Conduct Policy, in particular its no loitering rule. He believes it is vague and has the potential to be used to unfairly target the poor and minorities. He also expressed concern about the cost of the proposed security service in the upcoming budget.
An audience member spoke about the positive impact a program initiated by Koehler has had on her adult special needs daughter. She said her daughter now enjoys going to the library and selecting books to bring home and read.
In addition to the director issue, Daniel and Kelly Schaaf had several financial concerns. They noted the $31,000 the Board will be spending on the director search, and that $131,000 is budgeted for Professional Services, higher than any other library in the county. They also felt that the Board should have an ethics code.
Sandiemarie Segar said that fiscal accountability should be better. Rather than contract a separate security service, the Board should see if an arrangement with the School Board could be made. She also noted that only a few of the Board members have library cards.
Michael Zande questioned why the director is being replaced and mentioned the lack of library use by Board members.
Elaine Dehler-Willaims expressed concerns about the lack of transparency of the Board and the turnover of staff and directors. She also said that an ethics code is needed.
Connie Treuting, a library staff member, said that Koehler has had a positive impact on the library and has improved the work environment.
Anton Treuting spoke about the director issue and several other concerns. He said the by-laws, which were last updated in 2002, are outdated and have led to some questionable practices. He pointed to a conflict between the library’s by-laws and the NY Education Law, which grants the library’s charter and provides for oversight by the NYS Board of Regents. He noted that while the by-laws allow the Board president to appoint a trustee to fill a vacancy for the remainder of the term, the NY Education Law states that the appointment is only valid until the next annual election. Therefore, he said, an election should have been held in June 2023 for the seat currently filled by Elizabeth Miller, who was appointed in December 2022.
Treuting deems inappropriate the by-laws section that states, “Trustees, past, present and future do not pay any costs or charges assessed by the library, such as copier fees, fines, rental fees for movies and cassettes. Past trustees are grandfathered for life by this clause unless a change is made to this item.”
He added that the strategic plan, which covers 2017 to 2021, should be updated. He expressed concern that the122-year-old building lacks a fire suppression system. Trustee Dick Roberts echoed Treuting’s concerns about this, noting that the building houses some priceless artifacts.
Treuting said he intends to bring his concerns to the attention of the NYS Board of Regents. He said he has filed a complaint with the Orange County Ethics Board (OCEB) regarding the election issue. Since the mission of the OCEB is oversight of disclosure regulations to assure that public officials don’t receive unwarranted personal gain from their official duties, what action they might take on the election issue is not clear.
Due to all that he noted, Treuting said he feels that the entire Board of Trustees should resign.
Trustee Valerie Maginsky responded to mention of the proposed security service costs by saying that the item was put in the budget in response to staff concerns about incidents in the library. She said the School Board was contacted about possibly working with the library on security, but that was not feasible. President Carl Hendrick said that due to the concerns and that people feel it is unnecessary, the security service item would be removed from the proposed budget. Regarding the election issue, Hendrick said he would take it up with the library’s legal counsel.
In closing, Hendrick noted the size of the crowds in attendance, and said he welcomes the participation and thanked everyone for coming. He also said the Board would consider changing the 10:15 a.m. meeting time of the regular Board meetings, as there have been complaints that the time is not convenient for people who work.
In a phone interview, Trustee Elizabeth Miller said that she was not aware of the election issue and is troubled by it. She stated that it appears to be an unfortunate error and she will be looking for guidance from the library’s legal counsel. Miller said she understands the seriousness of it and will take responsibility for what needs to be done. She said she loves being on the Library Board and always has the best interest of the library in mind.
The annual election to vote on the budget and one trustee position will be on Thursday June 5, 2025, at the Port Jervis Free Library, 138 Pike St., Port Jervis. The polls are open from 12 – 8 p.m. All currently registered voters residing in the Port Jervis School District are eligible to vote.
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