BELLOWS FALLS — The Rockingham Free Public Library will move to the Merchant's Bank lobby on the Square while renovations are under way.
But tensions continue to flare behind the scenes.
At a special library trustees' meeting warned for 9 a.m., Wednesday, May 22, six of the nine library trustees discussed renovations, alternative library sites, and personnel issues - including a withering censure of Librarian Célina Houlné.
The meeting came on the heels of a similarly short-noticed (though still warned within the required 24 hours' notice) and similarly unusually timed (a Saturday night) meeting on May 18.
The first half of the meeting was calm as Acting Municipal Manager Chip Stearns detailed renovation progress and some issues with the board.
Alternative spaces were discussed, such as the Merchants Bank branch, the Waypoint Center, and the middle school.
Then library director Houlne, who has been under fire recently from the Board of Trustees, was handed an eight-page “corrective action plan” (CAP), censuring her as library director.
And, much to the continued ire of several members of the public, public comment was again reserved for the bottom of the agenda.
That left several members of the public who had come to express their concerns and opinions about the state of the library and issues before the board, such as the CAP, commenting on decisions that had already been acted upon by the board.
Following the Town Manager's renovation report, the board then went into executive session, came out and moved and passed a motion, the wording of which is unclear (minutes were not yet available), regarding the CAP.
Of the six library trustees present, only Pat Fowler voted against the motion.
Houlne asked the board if the CAP had been discussed in a full public board meeting, as she was not given a chance to respond to any of the charges either before the board or in a public session.
Some residents have questioned whether the document is binding, given the lack of full board discussion and approval.
Others asked whether Vice Chair Deborah Wright's involvement constituted a conflict of interest: Wright wrote the letter of complaint, is vice-chair of the board of trustees, and serves on the personnel committee.
Houlne's husband is Steve Geller, executive director of Southeastern Vermont Community Action (SEVCA), who was not allowed to speak at the end of the meeting during the public comment segment.
Trustee Chair Jan Mitchell-Love said that, as a Springfield resident, Geller was not allowed to speak on the record during a period of public comment.
Geller waited until the meeting ended, then spoke at length, framing the issue as a power play by someone who had applied for, but didn't get, Houlne's job.
Mitchell-Love denied she had applied for the job, but former personnel committee members disagreed.
Deflecting attention?
It has been a rough year for the library, as it has had to deal with the bankruptcy of Baybutt, the main contractor of the renovation project.
For now, the library is shut down through July, and might not reopen until renovations are completed this fall.
Both the board and a few of its patrons from Bellows Falls and Rockingham insist the library should be shut down as it is not ADA-compliant, in spite of the Vermont Division of Fire Safety approving limited occupancy during ongoing renovations.
Perhaps most vocal has been James Mitchell, a library patron who uses a wheelchair, who said he wants the library shut down during renovations.
Mitchell spoke on the heels of an earlier trustee vote rejecting $2,500 in repairs to the lift, which Baybutt had installed.
Library staff have been diligent in offering curbside service to anyone requesting it.
In a letter to The Commons last week, board member Laura Senes, writing for herself and not on behalf of the trustees, pointed out that just because the library has permission to operate while under construction doesn't mean that it is the right thing to do.
“If the library were to remain open, we would be utilizing just the front, historic section of the library (where, I should point out, there are no bathrooms),” Senes wrote. “I do not believe it is safe to have patrons, in a potentially overcrowded building undergoing major renovation, without a fire-suppression system.”
“Apparently the fire chief will let this lapse slide because construction is in process, and the situation is only temporary. But do you think it is safe? Do you want your kids spending time in a construction zone that is not up to code?
“We have had enough difficulties during this renovation; the last thing we need is a serious disaster.”
The Selectboard also gave its vote of confidence to keeping the library open during renovations.
Supporters of the library and its staff, spearheaded by members of the Friends of the Library, suggest that the board of trustees is focusing on Houlné's alleged poor performance as library director to deflect attention from recent financial and contracting issues at the library.
The conversation should be about the serious consequences of continued delays on the renovation project and subsequent library closure, they say.
Just before the town elections in March, Mitchell sent an email to a number of people in town with allegations about inappropriate conduct between Houlné and a former trustee, who lost his bid for reelection.
The trustees went on record at the time as supporting Houlné, but they concurrently established committees for personnel and policy oversight.
Those new committees produced the corrective action plan as the result of a May 1 letter of complaint written by Wright. The CAP consisted of six headings and more than 20 bullet points over eight pages, outlining the board's allegations of faults that it said it found with the library director as a result of Wright's complaint.
Trustees accuse Houlné of “undermining the authority of the board as a whole, as well as individual board members,” an “ongoing pattern” of ignoring requests for information from the board, “operating outside the stated bounds of the position,” and “not performing duties as per job description.”
The trustees also lambasted Houlné for allowing employees to read letters of discontent at the April meeting, for allowing employees to suggest to patrons that they attend a board meeting to protest, for publishing unapproved draft minutes of the trustees' meetings on the library website, for employees' posting opinions about library policy on social media like Facebook while on the job using library resources, and “allowing [employees] free rein,” they wrote, “permitting them to do whatever they want during library hours.”
Houlné says she has a lawyer.
Meanwhile, the trustees are under investigation by the state attorney general's office for a possible violation of open meeting laws.
Former employee: 'Cross-purposes'
Former RFPL Public Service Librarian Ed Graves said he was free to talk now, but felt he was under threat of termination should he have spoken out while an employee. He emailed his opinion to The Commons:
“The chair and vice-chair of the Library Trustees have been working at cross purposes with the library's leadership and the community for some time,” wrote Graves.
“They have consistently undermined the leadership and expertise of an exceptional library director through discounting her input, relentless criticisms, and taking away her job duties.
“Yesterday's vote to approve an eight-page corrective action plan brings the micromanagement and harassment to astounding new levels, making it extremely difficult to perform her basic job functions.”
Graves said that he was concerned “the chair and vice chair are a liability at this point, putting the library at risk.”
Graves said that in his 10 years of working in libraries, “I have never worked with a more dedicated and professional staff, and the library director is outstanding.”
Another source who, fearing repercussions, spoke only under the cloak of anonymity, said “at least three staff are being treated medically for stress-related issues.”
Library options
With the library moving, the staff are busy packing what they will be taking with them, according to children's librarian Sam Maskell. She said children's programs will take place at the Merchant's Bank location.
A notice on the RFPL website said, “Library items checked out will not be due during this renovation time and no fines will be collected. ILL [interlibrary loan] materials are still due. Patrons are welcome to use the drop box in front the library to return items.”
“As of right now,” Maskell said, “there isn't a firm date for when we will reopen. Once the trustees sign the lease for the new space, then we'll know more.”
Maskell says the library anticipates “being able to offer a wide range of services including circulation - we've retained a small collection of high-demand and newer materials; public computers and wifi; historical and reference services; current newspapers; and places for reading.”
Maskell said most of the youth programming will be happening at Park Place, Hill House, and the Saxtons River Recreation Area.
“The Friday night teen gaming program will take place in the new library space after hours. We've been doing this program for over 10 years now, and it's still incredibly popular,” Maskell noted.
She said the library will continue to offer speakers over the summer, and programs for middle school-age youths. Those program details are forthcoming, she said.
The RFPL will maintain its reading program. Kids can sign up now at www.rockinghamlibrary.org/srp.html. The first 40 kids to enroll will receive a packet of garden seeds. Kids who sign up will receive a reading record to keep track of their summer reading.
“We'll have an incentive program to encourage them to keep reading,” said Maskell. “It's my excuse to give away free books all summer.”
She added, “We will also have the Early Readers Library program for parents with infants and toddlers, encouraging parents to do activities with their children that will help develop pre-literacy skills.”
Parents and other caregivers can learn more about that program at www.rockinghamlibrary.org/earlylit.html.