Library trustees try to move forward, future uncertain
By Caitlyn Kelleher

Library trustees are getting ready to move forward in their search for a director as a hearing is pending before the selectmen regarding the termination of the Marja LePoer.

While planning for the future, five of the trustees are also waiting to see if a recall process against them will continue.

LePoer has filed a grievance against the trustees because of her termination. She has called the move the actions of a "political vendetta," while the trustees say she failed to improve or take specific directions.

Selectmen will meet with the trustees and LePoer on this issue on Wednesday, Sept. 6, said Town Administrator Linda Sanders. But the selectmen does not oversee the trustees - an elected body - or the library director's position.

Some voters have started the move to call the trustees on their actions.

Town Clerk Lorraine Pease said petitions to start the recall of five trustees - Matt Alfond, Paul McGrail, Lisa Gordon, Dwight Horan and Maureen Davi - were certified and the next set of petitions were distributed.

"On Friday (Aug. 25) they will get the petitions," Pease said. "They need 400 signatures."

The 400 signatures represent 20 percent of the town's registered voters.

If the second petitions are turned into to the clerk and enough signatures are certified then each of the trustees will have five days to decide whether or not to resign.

If any or all of the trustees decide not to resign then a special election will be held and voters will decide whether to remove them from office.

Davi, the chairman of the trustees, personally does not think that she will resign.

"I don't see why," she said. "It would be a waste of energy to do a recall ... I think it will take its course."

The pending recall is not preventing Davi and her colleagues from making plans.

"We're forming a search committee," Davi said as the first step of the search process. "The search committee will bring its plan of action to the board."

The search committee will be comprised of a couple of trustees, town residents and people with a background in library direction.

Davi said she expects the trustees to either receive a single finalist or a small number. She said they will decide during their upcoming meeting on Monday, Aug. 28, what they are going to request from the search committee.

The trustees also plan on reviewing the job description, but Davi doesn't think that it will change much from the description used to hire LePoer.

The position does not require a master's degree in library science, Davi said. And she would like a candidate that has their certification already but that could also be acquired.

The director's job is a 28-hour a week benefited position.

Davi said they are working towards hiring an interim director with library experience to run the facility until a full-time director can be hired.

"We have two people who already work at the town office so they are able to step into keeping the place going," she said. "We would like someone how has library experience to be able to walk into operating the library."

She knows the interim director could hold the position for a couple of months and that the person may end up overseeing the move from the basement of town hall to the renovated library.

"Realistically, if finalizing a search committee and all the nuts and bolts are worked out at our meeting ... I can't imagine (hiring someone) in less than two months and that is probably being pretty darn optimistic," Davi said.

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Caitlyn Kelleher can be reached at (978) 827-3386, ext. 15, or e-mail: caitlynkelleher@ aol.com