BELLOWS FALLS — I'm writing this letter to thank Rockingham residents for the wonderful opportunity I've had to serve you as the director of the Rockingham Free Public Library for the last five years.
The library is a tremendous resource for the town, and it has been well-used and well-loved by the community since 1909 when it was first built with funds donated by Andrew Carnegie. This gem of a building has just undergone a thorough renovation so that it can serve the town for the next 100 years, and I am tremendously proud of the leadership role I was able to play to enable that to happen.
Of course, this library would not be the vibrant institution it is without the enthusiastic support of so many in the community, from the library staff, trustees, members of Friends of the Library, area organizations, businesses, and individuals who have donated to our fundraising efforts, volunteered their time, and advocated strongly to represent the best interests of the library and its patrons.
I especially thank the Selectboard and Town Manager Chip Stearns, who came to the rescue to help us get this renovation completed. The library is an important landmark in the town and in Vermont, and we can all be proud of helping to ensure that it will serve many generations to come.
I sincerely thank all who have given me their support during this challenging time, especially over the last year. I want to caution you not to believe the rumors, innuendos, or slanderous remarks being circulated by some members of the Board of Trustees.
I can assure you that I have done absolutely nothing to justify the board's vote to terminate my employment. Going forward, I will be responding to my wrongful termination in the legal arena, because that's the only course left available to me.
Meanwhile, I will continue to support the library, and I welcome the opportunity to serve the library community once again, in order to provide excellent services to residents and other patrons for years to come.