Library board member dismissal issue ongoing

Big Horn County Library Board Chair Nikole Greene and accountant Troy Butler were requested to attend a state management audit committee meeting August 20, with concerns presented by Sen. Dan Laursen (Park County). 

“The question came to myself from a board member in Big Horn County on the library board that he was not receiving the audit reports or financial statements, and I think that was the same with the Department of Audit,” Laursen said to Greene, who attended the meeting with Butler via phone call. 

Greene reported that the board member in question had not attended a meeting in more than a year and had never addressed the issue with her. The board member was also allegedly emailed budget information for board meetings. 

In response to the Department of Audit question, Butler explained that several years ago, the library did not file a PF102 report, because he was told that due to the library’s relation to the county, which they report to, they did not need to. The issue was found in February of this year and the library has worked to correct it. 

“It sounds like you have taken care of the issue that was brought to me,” Laursen concluded. 

At the library board’s regular meeting October 15, they addressed the ongoing issue of removing two board members, including the one that sparked the audit committee hearing. It has been unclear as to whether the library board was able to unilaterally remove the board members for non-participation in meetings and failure to sign the code of ethics, or whether the county commissioners must do so. 

“[The commissioners] are requesting that we write a letter of removal with specific dates before they actually remove the board members, if they decide to remove the board members,” Greene said. The board agreed they would work together to write one, with no designated deadline. 

OTHER NEWS

Barbara Johnston, who has been serving as interim library director since Tina Ely’s retirement in July, was officially made director at the board’s last meeting. In August, Greene was reaffirmed as board chair, Cari Waterworth as secretary. 

The library received a $20,000 donation. Half of that will be saved, with each of the three branches to be given $2,733 for wish list items.