Correction: The original story stated that “Members of the board did not respond to requests for comment prior to the press deadline.” After publishing, former North Jefferson County Library District Board member Jim Hammill contacted The Monitor to say he had not received our requests for comment. Hammill also clarified that he did not resign, rather, he chose not to seek re-election after his 4-year term expired in May. The story has been edited to reflect the changes.
North Jefferson County’s library board has been left primarily vacant after all but one of the board members submitted letters of resignation in April.
Jane Hamman, Scott Erickson and Lynora Rogstad were among the board members who resigned. Board clerk Cheryl Vukasin also submitted a letter of resignation. Jim Hammill, a long standing board member, chose not to run for re-election after his term expired. Beth McNamara is the sole remaining board member.
Hamman and McNamara did not respond to requests for comment.
Carly Delsigne, library director of the district, opted not to comment on the board’s situation, except to say that there are open board seats and the district is accepting letters of interest to fill them.
The only requirement, according to an April 22 post on the North County library Facebook page, is being a resident of North Jefferson County.
As a county board, Jefferson County’s commissioners are involved in the trustee replacement process.
Commissioner Cory Kirsch told The Monitor that he was unaware of the details leading up to the resignations of a majority of the long-standing board members, but said the commissioners are in the process of appointing replacements.
Appointing new board members is especially rushed, since the district board is expected to approve a budget by the end of June.
“Clancy library is a district and if they write us a letter and are missing a board member, they can tell us who they want to appoint, and we will appoint them,” Commissioner Bob Mullen said at the May 9 commission meeting. “In this case, all the members kind of quit about the same time. They ended up with one member left and that’s not enough members to write us a letter. That’s why we have been jumping in here in such a funny way.”
Look to The Monitor for continual coverage on the North Jefferson County Library District board’s mass resignation.
