Charter change could give Watertown library director power over

staff

By Laura Paine
Wicked Local Watertown
Posted Jan 19, 2011 @ 03:47 PM
Last update Jan 19, 2011 @ 04:01 PM

WATERTOWN — The Library Board of Trustees say they trust in Library Director Leone
Cole’s ability to hire and fire her staff.
During the Jan. 18 Charter Review Commission meeting, Library Board of Trustees
Chairman Michael Hanlon and members Raya Stern, Anna Kuwabara and Katherine Button
said they would be comfortable with changing the charter to allow Cole to employ new
personnel or let them go without the vote of the board.
“We support her decisions and making this change wouldn’t be a big change to how we
work because we do put our trust in the director as it stands now,” Stern said.
Hanlon said that he couldn’t think of a time that they did not hire a candidate that Cole had
recommended for any position, but they would like to have the opportunity to meet any
person who is hired.
“During my tenure we have always supported Leone’s choice,” he said. “Having the
opportunity to meeting the person is very helpful in terms of fostering a relationship with the
board and staff. All six members said we don’t have an issue with the [change]. We have a
great deal of trust in Leone Cole.”
The Library Board of Trustees is currently charged with the hiring and firing of library
staff members which – in cases like the publicized May 2010 grievance filed by former
library employee Kathy Warren, who requested fair compensation – causes internal matters to
become public fodder.
“It makes every individual personnel matter a political issue,” Charter Commissioner
Dennis Duff said at the Jan. 4 meeting. “It comes before a public board. I don’t think it is a
good idea.”
Cole would also be in charge of creating an annual budget that would be subject to input by
the board.
“To bring it in line with other boards, it really does make sense,” Commissioner Cecilia
Lenk said.
Commission members have also discussed giving trustees an annual stipend.
Commissioner Pamela Piantedosi said that should the Town Council support annual pay for
trustees, they should receive a stipend like every other board.
Hanlon noted that library trustees in other towns receive close to $250 a year.
“We either after to acknowledge [the library] as an important part of the community or we
need to adjust the way we think about the library,” Piantedosi said. “We have to put
provisions in for them or not elect them at all. They get the same consideration as every other
elected board or they do not get to be an elected board.”
Stern told Piantedosi that it is written in the charter that they can request that the Town
Council allow them a stipend, but it has never been done before.
“It’s a conscious decision,” Stern said.

Laura Paine can be reached at lpaine@cnc.com.