Josie Pizer appointed to fill Great Neck Library board vacancy

Janelle Clausen
The Great Neck Library's board met in the Parkville Branch Library on Tuesday night, updating attendees on election matters and other projects. (Photo by Janelle Clausen)

The Great Neck Library Board of Trustees appointed Josie Pizer to the board on Tuesday, filling a position that was vacant since late July.

Pizer is temporarily filling the trustee seat vacated by Douglas Hwee following the board’s decision to remove him for alleged misconduct.

Counsel for the library previously said board members do not comment on personnel matters. Hwee declined to comment.

Trustees said that Pizer would serve from now until January 2019, after a successor has been selected at the October 2018 annual meeting. That successor, in turn, would hold the seat until the term’s original 2021 expiration date.

Pizer, an educational consultant, previously served as a library board trustee for two terms. During that time, the Great Neck Library saw issues like a contentious bond vote for renovations to the Main Library,  which were ultimately finished in late 2016, and a series of library directors coming and going.

Pizer originally opted not to run for a third term, leading to Rebecca Miller taking the seat in an uncontested race.

A library board’s responsibilities include developing a strategic plan and budget, overseeing programs and services, and ensuring that the library abides by local, state and federal laws. Additionally the board can appoint people and hire or fire the library’s executive director, as seen in April.

Pizer had been competing for a seat on the Nominating Committee race but dropped her bid, so there are no contested elections in this year’s library elections.

Dr. Barry Smith and Weihua Yan, both of Great Neck, are uncontested in their respective bids to become trustees.  Samuel Gottlieb, who is running for a seat on the Nominating Committee, is also uncontested.

Pizer would have faced Cheng “Carey” Ye for Marie Franzoni’s expiring seat on the Nominating Committee, which vets and recommends candidates for the board to appoint.

All of the candidates have been endorsed by the Nominating Committee.

Share this Article