If a newly proposed director evaluation policy that includes a section on performance probation conflicts with the present personnel policy by which the Community Library Network operates, director evaluation committee members are ready to wait and see what legal counsel says.

“The personnel manual either applies or it doesn’t apply," Community Library Network board Vice Chair Tom Hanley said Tuesday during the committee's first official public meeting, a recording of which can be found at communitylibrary.net.

"If it doesn’t apply then we can do this," Hanley said. "If it does apply, then we probably have to go back and revise the personnel manual."

The committee, comprising Hanley and Trustee Tim Plass, reviewed the new Library Director Performance Evaluation Policy drafted by Hanley. Currently, the network uses a personnel evaluation policy and does not have one specifically for the director.

Library Director Alexa Eccles also participated in the sparsely attended two-and-a-half-hour meeting at the Post Falls Library. Trustee Katie Blank was present but did not participate.

Plass said going with what is proposed in the draft policy — board members voting to put the director on probation if performance is found to be unsatisfactory — is easier than following the discipline plan lined out in the personnel policy.

“That’s not compatible with the board,” he said. “The board can’t do …”

“You can’t do an oral warning? You can’t do a personnel improvement? You can’t do a reprimand? You can’t do a suspension with pay?" Eccles said, cutting him off. "I mean, I don’t think you could probably do a demotion, that is true, but a termination or dismissal — the board can do all of these, probably except for one.”

“That’s what the evaluation is,” Plass said. “It’s a performance behavior improvement plan.

“No,” Eccles said, shaking her head.

When discussing the calendar and potentially conducting evaluations more frequently than the network’s usual process of evaluating directors every 12 months, Eccles said that would be against what the library’s procedure is. The current evaluation procedure as written in the network’s personnel policy manual, last revised and approved in December 2020, notes that employee evaluations are to be conducted at least once or as needed within an 18-month period.

All previous library directors have been on a 12-month schedule, Eccles said. She said she and the board can have informal conversations about evaluation and that it would be more helpful to talk about goals she could strive for in the next year.

She said the board needs to be aware of “disparate treatment,” which occurs when an employer treats individuals differently than others.

“You have to have reasons for that," Eccles said. “Your personnel policy is the board deciding how to treat 102 staff, and your library director policy is determining how you’re going to treat one staff, and if they’re in conflict and you don’t have bona fide reasons for that treatment…

“But the rest of the staff doesn’t have a contract,” Hanley said.

“It doesn’t really matter,” Eccles said. “You have to follow policy that you created, consistently.”

No actions were taken other than a few edits made to the proposed policy. 

The next meeting of the Community Library Network's board will be from 2 to 6 p.m. Thursday at the Post Falls Library, 821 N. Spokane St. Discussions on the agenda include financial and circulation statements, the facilities annual report, the director's report and a report from legal counsel.

Twenty minutes each will be given to resume discussions about the Materials Selection Policy and Withdrawal and Reconsideration Policy.

Public comment will be permitted.

    Plass
  

    Hanley