MY TURN: Stormy CLN Trustees
Burst pipes during January’s freeze caused significant flooding at Athol and Post Falls libraries. The buildings are closed while staff members assess and document damage to facilities and collections. We are fortunate Director Alexa Eccles and two of her senior team have prior experience with major logistical and construction projects in libraries. They’re working hard and will keep us informed as this situation unfolds. Everyone is acutely aware of the public’s inconvenience.
Board reaction has been mixed. Trustees Katie Blank and Vanessa Robinson are flexible; they trust and support staff. The board majority is micromanaging staff and trying to force decisions. You can see videos here: https://communitylibrary.net/board/#agendasandminutes.
Unsettling Practices
The board majority likes imposing their power over others. Back in June, they manipulated a joint decision with their colleagues just because they could. Ever since, Chair Rachelle Ottosen, Vice Chair Tom Hanley and Trustee Tim Plass have shown low emotional maturity.
These are three strong individuals. Sometimes they vote together, but they rarely cooperate. None likes to listen. All prefer speaking. They regularly read written statements into the record. They seldom ask questions, often make demands and regularly blame others.
Chair Ottosen creates meeting agendas allocating hours to topics of interest to Plass, Hanley and herself, but only 10 – 15 minutes for Ms. Eccles and attorney Colton Boyles. Ms. Ottosen regularly cuts off remarks from both, as well as from trustees Blank and Robinson.
The majority consider themselves productive. However, since July, Mr. Plass and Mr. Hanley have been leading discussions on a materials selection policy. After 11 meetings, they are still working on page one.
Mr. Plass dominates airtime. When he’s not speaking, Mr. Plass’s hand is up so Ms. Ottosen can return the floor to him. He is regularly dismissive of policies, strategic plans and bylaws. His behavior is sometimes volatile. His challenges to Ms. Eccles and Mr. Boyles have been particularly antagonistic. In an apparent attempt to evade Mr. Plass’s wrath, Mr. Boyles has begun delaying his answers to legal questions. Ms. Ottosen moves along, and Boyles lets the requested board guidance go undelivered.
CLN’s board meetings have been dysfunctional for eight months. It’s time the majority noticed their behavior is unprofessional, legally risky and demoralizing to colleagues and staff. Citizens have certainly noticed.
Can the board majority stop floundering and learn how to function more effectively?
Working well with others is a set of learnable skills. Trustees appear to possess above-average intelligence and the capacity to grow. What if the board hired a facilitator? What if they got help to increase their self-discipline and expand their cognitive flexibility?
What if Ms. Ottosen learned how to run collaborative meetings? What if Mr. Hanley helped her craft more streamlined and purposeful agendas? What if Ms. Ottosen and Mr. Hanley persuaded Mr. Plass to stop his outbursts and dial down his hostility?
What if every board member treated staff as invaluable professional colleagues? What if trustees worked together as a team?
Ms. Blank and Ms. Robinson pay close attention to legal matters. What if they monitored pending legal questions and helped Ms. Ottosen remember to circle back for Boyles’ answers?
Reckless decisions have been made for months, but the board majority has now begun making motions to contract for services they intend to cancel later. This behavior is unethical. Lawyers across America are helping conservative officials keep their impulses in check and their institutions protected now. What if Mr. Boyles showed his duty of care for CLN by designing an RFP/RFQ process with objective evaluation criteria? Staff has requested it, and the board majority has shown they could use some guardrails.
During her Jan. 18 report, Director Eccles asked the board to temporarily hold fewer meetings so staff could focus on facilities damage. The board majority instead decided to hold two special meetings early in February. At their regular meeting Feb. 15, the board will take public comment. What if citizens conveyed their desire for the board to change? (Email link below; public comment is limited to 10 people.)
What if trustees showed their support for staff by holding only one March meeting?
CLN’s board majority has been struggling, but they could learn to do better.
Please talk about this with other community leaders, especially those who may be able to influence the Board majority.
Email trustees here: https://communitylibrary.net/board/#board-contact
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Pat Raffee lives in Post Falls. She consulted on managing change with organizations including Citicorp, MasterCard and US West.