BUCKFIELD — After another lengthy discussion Tuesday about ongoing problems with operations at the Zadoc Long Free Library, selectmen tabled making any decision on how the library is run.
Voting for the motion to table were Selectmen Maida DeMers-Dobson and Mike Iveson. Voting against was Chairman Warren Wright.
The issue first became public during the previous meeting. DeMers-Dobson motioned to go into executive session to hear from Library Director Bonnie Santos about issues she’s having. Town Manager Cindy Dunn told DeMers-Dobson the subject did not qualify for an executive session under Maine law.
Selectmen directed Dunn to research other towns’ operating procedures for their library departments. She said at Tuesday’s meeting that some towns have trustees who are not advisory and have authority, while some have committees that are mostly advisory.
Dunn contacted the Maine Municipal Association and shared a letter from attorney Richard Flewelling, who wrote that the library director does not have special authority over library operations and expenditures that are different from other department heads, unless granted through an ordinance, charter or town meeting vote.
Trustees are no longer necessary because the town owns and operates the library since a June 2015 town meeting vote. Such an operation can include a library advisory committee, he said.
Dunn said she met with Santos and Deputy Library Director Katie Clukey on Sept. 28 and many things were discussed, including Dunn presenting an updated five-page library director job description and a four-page job description for the deputy director. She planned a follow-up meeting with library staff.
“We’re working on things,” Dunn said. “The goal, the mission, myself as town manager, Library Committee members, all of them, and library staff is to work as a team. There are things that (we) want to be accomplished.”
Resident Sandra Perkins said residents are aware of ongoing issues.
“There is a lot of discussion out in the community and there has been for months,” Perkins said. “It has to do with (how) a certain employee feels she is being treated. I feel this is definitely not the forum for dealing with this, but I do feel this needs to be dealt with.”
Selectmen will revisit the issue at a future meeting.
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