The Great Neck Library Board of Trustees named Kathy Giotsas, current director of the West Haven Library in West Haven, Conn., as the new library director at their meeting Tuesday.
But the hiring of Giotsas, who will begin her job on Aug. 1 with a salary of $150,000 a year, was overshadowed by dozens of residents who expressed concern about the status of Ethan Mann, who is rumored to have been fired from his position as director of the Levels Teen Center.
The trustees expressed satisfaction with their selection of Giotsas, who was not in attendance.
“We came down to the final two [candidates] and it was difficult because both were very good candidates,” said library Trustee Francine Krupski, who chaired the library’s Director Search Committee. “
The board has been searching for a permanent director since former director Jane Marino resigned in December 2012 following the defeat of a $20.8 million bond referendum to renovate the Main Branch.
After her resignation, Laura Weir was named interim director in January 2013. Weir, who joined the library system in 2002 as assistant director, retired as interim director in December.
Chris Johnson has served as the interim library director since December, before which she was interim assistant library director.
According to Giotsas’ Linkedin.com profile, Giotsas has served in her current position West Haven since August 2011.
Though some residents at the meeting congratulated the board on picking a new director, many more pressed the board about Mann’s status during a period called open time toward the end of the meeting.
Rumors that Mann has been fired as Levels director has sparked many protests by both current Levels teens, parents and Levels alumni in the past weeks.
Kenneth Gray, the library board’s attorney, reponded to each request by residents to clarify Mann’s status that library trustees will not comment on personnel matters.
“The board wants everyone to know they appreciate your comments and concerns,” Gray said. “But the board won’t be taking any comments or questions relating to personnel.”
Residents continued to ask the board if Mann was fired, who was in charge of Levels and if the library was still paying Mann’s salary, but each time Gray said the board won’t discuss personnel.
One resident also asked about how the board goes about firing someone, to which library board President Marietta DiCamillo said it is personnel matter that she could not address.
Another resident who said she has a son in the Levels program said she wasn’t comfortable not knowing who the current director of Levels is.
DiCamillo responded saying that there is still currently a staff at Levels and that the Levels programming has not changed.
Many teens and residents were concerned about a perceived lack of transparency on the board’s behalf.
“If you see a huge public outcry to fix a personnel issue, there is clearly a demand for transparency,” one resident said.
Another resident also asked the board if they were involved in any ongoing litigation, to which Gray said the information is available through a Freedom of Information request.
At one point during the meeting, DiCamillo asked if there was anyone else in the audience who wanted to speak about any other matter beside personnel, to which a mother of a Levels child said “we want to continue to talk about him.”
“We want Ethan back. The point is that we have over 1,000 signatures,” the mother said referencing the petition “Bring Ethan Back” created on change.org, a copy of which was given to Johnson earlier in May. “What else do we need to show the board.”
One teen expressed frustration with the board changing the location of its various committee meetings at the last minute. She said she and others had gone to library branches where they thought meetings would be held to protest Mann’s rumored firing, only to find that the meeting location had been changed.
DiCamillo said sometimes the board will change its meeting location when it finds out there are programs being held at the same branch a board or committee meeting is to be held, so they move locations.
“Sometimes I think I’m coming to Parkville for a meeting and all of a sudden I show up at Parkville and it’s been changed to Station,” Krupski said.
Many teens said they don’t think the board fully understands what Levels and Mann mean to them.
“It’s not clear to me that you even understand why Levels is so important to us and why Ethan is important to us,” one former Levels teen said. “When I left, Levels was a safe haven for students.”
Library Trustee Michael Fuller said the board understands residents are upset, and that if the board could answer their questions they would, but their attorneys have advised against it.
“We hear you — it is uncomfortable to sit here and listen to this,” Fuller said. “I’m not doing it to be written about in the paper about how nasty I am.”
“We simply cannot comment in a way that will satisfy you, but it does not mean we don’t want to satisfy you,” Fuller continued. “Personally, I’m very sorry we can’t be more open.”
Fuller asked Gray if there will be a point in the future where the library can be more transparent, to which Gray said a press release will come out in the next couple of days regarding the issue.
Johnson had said in late April the library had a confidential discussion with Mann and that the discussion will remain confidential.
One Levels teen said the Levels Teen Center goes beyond the shows it puts on.
“It’s a very safe space for a lot of people to go to — it’s kind of like a haven,” the teen said. “Two of my best friends — their lives were saved by a person who may or may not be a part of Levels anymore.”
He then said the board should recognize that there is a massive public outcry regarding Mann’s status.
“These are the people you’re supposed to serve, and you’re not answering us,” he said gesturing to the crowd of people who attended the meeting to ask about Mann’s status. “I have knots in my stomach because you can’t tell us anything.”
