Monday, April 26, 2010

Sheboygan Mayor Questioned About Library Board Appointments


Link to April 26 Sheboygan Press letter to the editor, "Why remove library board leadership?"

Excerpt:   What are Mayor Ryan's big plans for Mead Public Library?

Among the hundreds of appointments that have been sent to the city aldermen for approval tonight are replacements for current Mead Library Board President and civic leader Bernie Markevitch and library board Vice President and University of Wisconsin-Sheboygan Associate Dean and math professor, Tom Peneski. Both men had requested to serve another three-year term and have been denied by Mayor Ryan.

This is not a wise business decision. Mead Public Library, under the direction of Markevitch and Peneski, has been a leader in trimming its budget and eliminating staff positions, while maintaining its extraordinary level of service to the community.

Getting rid of top performing leadership at this time is not a sensible business decision
.

The letter writer, Mary Liz Towne, is a current member of Mead Public Library Board.

Related article:
Mayor Ryan plans Library Board shakeup.  (4/25/2010)
Excerpt:   Library Director Sharon Winkle said Friday that Ryan didn't inform her before he decided to replace Markevitch and Peneski, something that left her both confused and concerned about the shakeup.

"I'm puzzled by it and I really don't think this is a good time to make a major change in leadership unless the mayor feels that it's warranted due to a change in direction," Winkle said. "But then, what is that change of direction?"


Winkle, who sent Ryan an e-mail a few weeks ago "about the importance for continuity and leadership on the board," said the mayor gave her an envelope last Monday during a staff meeting and told her not to open it until later. The envelope contained the mayor's list of all committee appointments, including the changes on the Library Board.

They have a name for this type of behavior.

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