Library Board
The Board of Trustees of the Public Library consists of citizens nominated by the board, appointed by the Mayor, and confirmed by the City Council. It is made up of five members, one of which is a rural member, and includes a president and a secretary. Term length is six years. The library board is a policy-making group whose duties are the following:
The Board’s responsibility to the community is to represent the library both to the people and to the officials of the city. It is the Board’s obligation to see that adequate funds are obtained for good library service and that the taxpayer receives a fair return on his investment in tax dollars. This will result in the highest quality of library service maintained for the largest possible number of citizens.
Current Members
Ray Bassett, President
Aimee Deets, Secretary
Pat Hartwig
Mary Schreur
Carmen Myers
Board Meetings
Meetings take place on the second Monday of the month at 5 pm. Meetings are open to the public.
Agendas are posted on the entry door at least one day before the meeting and below on this website. Minutes are also posted below. Minutes from previous years are available to view in the library during open hours.
Public Participation Procedures at Library Board Meetings
An open meeting allows the public to watch the board work but not to participate. Although not a requirement to provide time for public comment, the Kanawha Public Library Board of Trustees values public input and endeavors to create an atmosphere where board members and members of the public can attend to business efficiently and fairly with full participation. All board members, staff, and members of the public should speak one at a time in a civil and courteous manner in order to be heard by all persons in attendance. No one should take a voice phone call during a meeting without first leaving the chambers and closing the doors behind them.
1. The library board will allow up to 15 minutes of each board meeting for public comment.
2. It is the responsibility of the Board President, board members, library staff, and members of the public to maintain an atmosphere of respect throughout the meeting.
3. The board will not respond at this meeting to questions, requests for information or requests for action. An appropriate response may be made later, after board members have sufficient opportunity to consider and deliberate on the issue.
4. Each speaker will be allowed a maximum of three (3) minutes to address the board until the allotted time is up.
5. The Board President or chair of the meeting will call on persons wishing to speak one at a time to address the board for no more than the allocated time. Upon recognition by the board president or chair, the individual should state their name and reason for wishing to speak.
2. Should the number of speaker requests exceed the allotted time in the meeting, the Board President or chair of the meeting may limit speakers to two (2) minutes to accommodate as many voices as possible.
3. Requests for time to speak will be granted in the order the requests were received. Priority will be given to residents of the library taxing district.
4. Speakers may not yield their time to another individual as to allow someone more than three (3) minutes or the allotted time.
5. It is possible that not all persons requesting time will be allowed to speak. Anyone not allowed to speak will be invited to the next board meeting.
6. Members of the public will not be allowed to comment during other portions of the board meeting unless comments are specifically requested by the board.
7. The presiding officer may terminate a speaker’s privilege to speak if, after being called to order, the speaker acts in a manner that is discourteous or disruptive.