New City Library Board Considers Ending Hiring Freeze

A motion to remove the hiring freeze imposed in April is on the Thursday agenda for the New City Library Board of Trustees. This comes as Library Business & Facilities Manager Ellen Ellis announced her plans to retire effective July 31. She is the second top administrator to leave the library in three months.

Ellis submitted her resignation to the library on July 3 after a more than 25-year career as business & facilities manager, head of technical services and circulation clerk. 

“All told I’ve been here 26 years,” said Ellis. “I’ve been in this position 18 (years).” 

She has plans for the future. 

“I’m taking an early retirement mainly to move closer to my family,” Ellis said. “It’s time to move on.”

Ellis said there is no one else working in her department. An accounts clerk left because of illness and the hiring freeze was put in place before the position could be filled. The motion to impose a hiring freeze came from Trustee Tom Ninan, who recommended it stay effective until the board found a new executive director. The motion was approved by a six to two vote on April 19. 

At the end of May, the board approved the appointment of Marianne Silver as interim library director. The former Executive Director Chuck McMorran left at the beginning of that month after a majority of the board majority declined to open negotiations to renew his contract.  

The board is also expected to hear a report from the New Director Search Committee, which was formed at the June meeting. Ninan is the chair of the New Director Search Committee. 

The library board meets at 7 p.m. on Thursday.