A new library director is still being sought by the Addison Township Library Board of Trustees now that its first choice, Nina Ciccolini, has turned down the job.
Ciccolini, who resigned as library board president March 15 in order to apply for the director job, declined to take the position because the salary offered didn’t meet her expectations, according to Acting Library Board President Evelyn Pickwick.
Following a March 31 meeting, Pickwick said the board offered Ciccolini $33,000 per year.
Ciccolini, who spent 10 years serving on the elected library board, made a counter offer of $43,000, but the board wouldn’t go any higher than $35,000 per year.
The library director’s position was offered with no fringe benefits other than one week of paid vacation, according to Pickwick.
Michele Presley, the current director who’s last day is April 29, is paid $44,824 annually. On top of that, she receives a retirement contribution equal to 10 percent of her salary, but no health benefits. She’s worked for the library since 1995 and served as director since 1999.
Pickwick was disappointed by Ciccolini’s decision. ‘She really wanted this job and honestly, I believe she was the person for it,? she said. ‘She has such great experience in marketing and public outreach . . . She had a lot of really great qualities for running that library. Our goal is to have a brand new library and she would have been the one to lead us into that. She’d have done a great job.?
Pickwick said the library board’s next move will be to give applicant Lynda Henderson a second interview. That will take place during an open board meeting scheduled for 7 p.m. Thursday, April 7 at the Addison Township complex (1440 Rochester Rd. in Lakeville).
Henderson is currently a part-time employee at the Addison library and has worked there for five years. She previously served on the library board from November 1988 through August 1993.
Addison is one of 73 Class 2 libraries in Michigan. Libraries are classified based upon the population they serve.
Class 2 libraries serve populations of 4,000 to 6,999. Based on the 2010 Census, Addison has a population of 6,351 including Leonard.
Class 2 libraries are required to have directors that possess at least a Level 4 certification, which requires a high school diploma (or equivalent); one-year of full-time library employment; and completion of the Beginning Workshop offered by the Library of Michigan.