INDIANAPOLIS — The Indy Public Library Board of Trustees voted Tuesday afternoon to hire a new temporary leader while resuming the search for a new permanent CEO. But many people, even board members, are still upset the last in-house candidate did not get the job.
No public comment was accepted at this contentious special board meeting, but that did not stop public outbursts. There remains strong dissension among patrons and on the board over the process for selecting a new CEO.
The board president threatened to have security remove people from the meeting as they repeatedly objected to the board hiring a temporary chief administrative officer.
The board passed the resolution 4-2.
Dr. Patricia Payne voted against the motion. She also proposed a motion to amend that would have tabled the hiring of a CAO until incoming board members are seated. Her amendment also failed 4-2.
"I fail to see how bringing in another person is going to bridge any gap,” said Payne, “particularly when we already had Nichelle Hayes.”
Hayes served as acting CEO for several months last year but was never offered the job permanently. That outraged some library patrons and has divided the board.
"She was straightforward,” said board member Dr. Khaula Murtadha. “She talked about what she needed to do to be even a better CEO. She worked with the existing executive team, some of whom said all kinds of concerns and good things about her leadership, and we ignore it without further deliberation."
The CEO position has gone unfilled for 16 months, with a change of board presidents, new board members and multiple national searches.
"Part of this process will include improving our governance,” said board president Hope Tribble. “It will include reunifying the board. And that's just one of the hard and challenging tasks ahead of us."
Tribble said she hopes the board can hire a permanent CEO in 6-9 months. Anita Harden will serve as the temporary CAO.
“It's important for the new leader to be able to step into a situation where a lot of this stuff is resolved,” said Harden. “So, it's my hope and certainly my desire to do what I can to work through some of that with the different constituencies and opinions."
As the meeting adjourned, people holding signs in the crowd chanted, “The board keeps lying!”
The board holds its regularly scheduled January meeting on Monday, Jan. 23 at 6:30 p.m., with public comments accepted at that meeting.