Brandon Twp.-The library board voted unanimously March 23 to terminate library director JoAnn Foster Gavey.
The termination comes after a two-week long investigation into complaints about Gavey from staff members.
‘We found a widespread feeling that the library was an extremely poor working environment,? said Matt Ault, board vice-president. ‘The board felt that for the good of the library we needed to make a change in direction.?
A special board meeting was called March 8 after the board learned of a verbal and possibly physical confrontation between Gavey and several department heads. During a closed session, the board decided to place Gavey on an immediate two-week paid administrative leave in order to investigate the complaints. A fact-finding committee was formed, consisting of Board President Margaret Lee, trustee Frank Genovese and Ault.
According to the fact-finding committee’s final report, given to all board members at the March 23 meeting, the committee interviewed individually 18 different staff members at all levels of responsibility within the library organization, as well as several former library employees. Each interview was conducted with at least two committee members present and staff members were asked to be honest, give only firsthand information and to not exaggerate. They would remain anonymous. The committee also interviewed Gavey on two occasions and she was given an opportunity to respond.
Management of personnel, policies and finances were the three areas of concern found by the committee.
The report stated, ‘All people interviewed commented on a negative working environment with respect to the director. Although a few respondents offered positive comments about the work environment, even these people followed up with comments that were mildly to seriously negative. The themes observed were poor or lacking communications with staff, countermanding directives creating confusion and general inconsistency on the part of the director.?
‘One of the most serious themes elicited was harassment based on weight, dress and appearance,? the report continues. ‘Because weight is a protected class in the State of Michigan, such behavior could have legal consequences for the library. The great majority of respondents (78 percent) had experienced or directly observed these incidents. At least five different staff members were reported to have been subject to weight-related comments.?
According to the report, Gavey also made what were perceived as belittling comments or suggestions on dress, hair style or length and at times during these exchanges would freely handle a staff member’s hair, clothing, or jewelry, even when these contacts were not welcome.
‘These interactions left employees feeling intimidated, insulted, harassed, and discriminated against,? the report said.
Gavey’s take on this, according to the report, was that she only ‘teased? people about their lunches on a few occasions. She admitted commenting directly on one staff member’s weight and later apologized. She otherwise characterized her comments as only ‘positive.?
The fact-finding committee report also stated that Gavey commonly cited the ‘at will employee? status of library staff and said the staff could ‘go work at McDonald’s? if they don’t like working at the library.
Comments from respondents to the committee’s query included characterizing the library’s working environment as ‘tense,? ‘horrible,? ‘terrible,? ‘volatile,? ‘paranoid,? ‘toxic,? and causing physical illness.
Besides personnel concerns, the report also cited an inconsistent application of policies, including the Rules of Conduct and Patrons in the Library, prolonging problems with children after school and creating confusion amongst the staff about their duties and programs.
In interviews with the committee, staff members said they were unwilling to approach Gavey about problems in the library because of her angry, volatile and punitive behaviors. They feared losing their jobs if they even talked to a board trustee.
As for financial management, the report stated that one full-time senior staff member was denied medical benefits for the 2006 fiscal year. Additionally, according to the report, Gavey presented ‘superficial and unnecessary expenditures to staff after they had made the sacrifice of a week without pay for the greater good of the library.?
In summation, the committee reported a ‘strong and resounding theme of hostility, harassment, lack of communication, undermining library policy, and questionable prioritization of library funds. These are not the grumblings of a few disgruntled employees… Dogmatic, authoritarian, and abusive are adjectives that could be applied to the director’s management sytle. This behavior has allegedly been occuring for some time. The director does not seem to have much insight into her behavior, stating that she had no idea what was wrong. When questioned about specific incidents she seems to ignore or rationalize her actions…?
A written response by Gavey to the fact-finding committee’s report was given to the board during their March 23 meeting.
‘To respond to the outrageously derogatory, salacious, and categorically false allegations as cited in this report would be to give credence to even one of the specific accusations,? Gavey wrote. ‘I will say, unequivocally and with some vehemence, the charges are deliberate falsifications, out-of-context misrepresentations, misconstrued and manipulated statements… I regret that my relationship with Brandon Township Public Library has come to such an ignominious juncture. I have worked tirelessly to bring cultural quality, educated professionalism, credible information service, and responsible fiscal management to the expenditure of public funds. To suggest otherwise, is an abomination to me, and my personal and professional reputation.?
In regards to the library’s operating budget, Gavey said that she has worked exceedingly hard with the library board to keep all soaring costs under control as much as possible. Still, with the annual Headlee Ovcerride reductions, and decrease in state aid and penal fine revenue, ‘funding for the library is now at crisis level,? Gavey wrote. ‘The negative impact on the books and materials collection budget has been significantly compromised and will no fulfill state of Michigan quality service standards if lack of adequate funding is to continue.?
Gavey concluded her response by saying in her opinion, the statements and accusations in the fact-finding report are hearsay.
‘I am proud to have had the opportunity to develop this library for the community,? she wrote. ‘The community has had my respect for ten years; I have worked hard to earn its respect. I cannot allow my reputation and the results of my teamwork with the Board of Trustees and the library staff (to be) tarnished as brutally and carelessly by the manipulated information presented in the Report of the Fact Finding Committee on the Topic of Library Director Performance.?
Ault acknowledged Gavey has always received positive performance reviews in her 10 years as director, but said the board had never evaluated her on personnel management.
‘The board didn’t want to undermine her authority,? he said.
The board unanimously agreed to give Gavey a severance package that will pay the next three months of her $60,500 annual salary, plus benefits through to June 30, pending approval of the library’s attorney.
‘The board felt it was recognition of her many years of service to the library and despite recent issues, it was an appropriate severance package,? Ault said, adding that the library has a balanced budget and is living within its means, with no financial crisis.
Ault’s response was ‘I don’t know,? when questioned about how the employees feel about working a week without pay while the terminated director gets a three-month severance package.
Assistant Director Paula Gauthier has been named interim library director.
‘I hope that in the time I am interim director I can work with the board to move the library in a positive direction for the community,? said Gauthier.
The library board will discuss filling of the library director position at the next board meeting, 6 p.m., April 20, in the conference room at the library, 304 South St.