The election of MHLS trustees will be an item of business at the MHLS Annual Membership Meeting on Friday, November 2nd. MHLS is governed by a fifteen-member board made up of three trustees from each of the five counties served.
Procedures for Election of Trustees:
Article II. Nominations:
Section 2.01 -The county library association of each county for which a trustee is to be elected shall meet for the purpose of selecting a candidate from their county to nominate at the MHLS Annual Membership Meeting. The chair of the county library association shall submit to the MHLS Executive Director the name of the county library association's nominee no later than two months prior to the Annual Membership Meeting.
Section 4.03 - Each member library is a voting unit having one vote.
There are three MHLS Board of Trustee vacancies to be filled for terms commencing January 2019:
The Columbia County Library Association has nominated Janet Schnitzer for a first five-year term.
Ms. Schnitzer's prior service on the MHLS Board ended in 2015 after completing two consecutive 5-year terms. Ms. Schnitzer is now eligible to serve a new five-year term. Janet served as Secretary of the MHLS Board from 2010-2012. Ms. Schnitzer holds a B.S. Degree from Rider College and a Master's Degree in Business Education from the State University of New York at Albany, as well as Certification in Diversified Co-Operative Education. Janet has remained active in the library community and her service includes membership on the Board of Trustees of the Hudson Area Association
Library on which she served terms as both Secretary and President.
The Putnam County Library Association has nominated Michele Ment for a second five-year term.
Ms. Ment was elected for her first five-year term on the MHLS Board in 2014, and currently serves as Board Secretary. Michele earned an M.S. Degree in Education at Brooklyn College, and a P.D. at Richmond College, Staten Island, NY. She taught in the New York City School System for 35 years, and post retirement has worked as an Adjunct Professor at Marymount Manhattan College. Michele has performed extensive community service for a number of local organizations, and is currently a trustee on the Kent Library Board.
The Ulster County Library Association has nominated: Stuart Auchincloss for a first five-year term.
Mr. Auchincloss was appointed to the MHLS Board in December of 2015 for a two-year remainder term. Mr. Auchincloss is a retired civil engineer and lawyer with an advanced degree in environmental law. He served as a trustee on the Woodstock Public Library's Board of Trustees for ten years and served as Board President for five years. Mr. Auchincloss is deeply committed to ensuring that public libraries continue to thrive and serve the needs of their communities.