MOUNT OLIVE (12/14/06) - Last night it was the library board’s turn.

On taking office last month Mayor David Scapicchio was faced with many unprecedented problems, not the least of which was the ongoing bickering between the township library board and the township council.

His response at the time seemed drastic. "Clean house".…..appoint four new members to the seven member board. Two of the board members are constitutional….the mayor or his alternate and the superintendent of schools or her alternate.

But it wasn’t as drastic as it seemed. Two of the new appointments were for existing vacancies the previous mayor had not filled and two were for unexpired terms of board members being replaced.

One being replaced was Gerald Sheard, the former board president, who according to Scapicchio, said he did not want to be reappointed. The other was Cathleen Sullivan, the board secretary. Both were serving as holdovers and had never been confirmed by the township council.

The only "veteran" member of the board was Joan Young, the board’s treasurer, who has served five years. Her appointment is until December 31, 2007. Young and Superintendent of Schools Rosalie Lamonte’s alternate, Noreen Risko and Rita Hilbert, the long time library director, welcomed the new members, Suzanne Jeska, Stephanie Sherman, Judith Hirky and Stanley Miller.

Miller’s appointment expires at the end of this month. Hirky, who lives in Budd Lake, was appointed until December 31, 2008; Jeska’s appointment expires December 31, 2009 and Sherman’s appointment is until December 31, 2110.

Another new member also was seated, Mayor Scapicchio’s alternate. He is Chris Kenny, who was John Mania’s campaign manager. Mania was Scapicchio’s Democratic opponent for mayor. Kenny replaces Robb Pearson who had served as former Mayor Richard DeLaRoche’s alternate.

There were concerned observers who had voiced reservations about appointing five new members to a seven member board. Generally, one board member is appointed each year to terms of office that coincide. However, last night’s meeting seemed to work out fine. Scapicchio, who was at the meeting, said at the conclusion he felt that with these appointments he hit a "home run."

Hilbert had briefed the new members on library board membership, state and local laws governing library boards and this library board’s own by-laws. She also informed them about the board’s current issues.

The first order of business was the election of officers. All votes were unanimous. Suzanne Jeska of Flanders was elected President; Stephanie Sherman of Flanders, vice president; Joan Young to continue as treasurer and Stanley Miller, also of Flanders, secretary.

Jeska was prepared with goals she felt were priorities. She proposed the meetings be more open to the public and asked the board to approve a motion to allow comment from the public throughout the meetings. Another priority would be to close out all the finances of the new library construction project.

The State was holding $198,861 in the state library grant that has been returned. The amount must now be wired to the Bank of America to be returned to the township. Jeska called for a resolution that when the township receives the funds that it provide a letter to the library agreeing that if funds are ever to be returned to the state the township will assume that responsibility.

Jeska, a professional Web designer, also won agreement to post the meeting agendas and minutes on the library Web site.

In other business the board created committees. Sherman will head the Finance Committee along with Young and Kenny as members; Miller will chair Building and Grounds, along with Jeska and Risko as members; Hirky will head the Personnel Committee along with Young as a member; Sherman will head a Construction Close Out Committee along with Miller and Jeska; Miller will head the communications committee with Jeska as a member; Sherman will head the Policy and By Laws Committee with Risko and Jesko as members.

In other business Hilbert reported that the Library was having difficulty finding bidders to build the long awaited handicapped parking spaces. The money set aside for the project based on the architect’s recommendation was $40,000. In response to advertising only one bid was received for $180,000, which was rejected. She said she then sent specifications to eight local contractors and was waiting for responses. Tim Quinn, director of public works, indicated the town might undertake the job.

Jeska and Miller agreed to pursue that matter.

At the close of the meeting Scapicchio thanked the board members for accepting appointments and for conducting a productive meeting. He also said he had already thanked the replaced board members for their service and he thanked Robb Pearson, who also was at the meeting, for his service.