New Hartford fills 2 more library board spots

Replaces members who weren’t properly sworn in

By ROBERT BRAUCHLE

Posted Nov 04, 2010 @ 08:52 PM

NEW HARTFORD —

The imbroglio between the Town Board and New Hartford Public Library board of trustees became even more entangled Wednesday night when the Town Board passed over existing members to appoint two new faces to the library board.

The Town Board installed John N. Kalil Jr. and John Klein to the 11-member library board to fill positions held by Earl Cunningham and Peter Rayhill. Cunningham also acts as the library’s treasurer.

The relationship between the Town Board and library board has been in flux since it was revealed earlier this year that the library board was administering its own oath of office to board appointees in recent years.

The Town Board asserted that it is the only body that can officially appoint library board members and has not recognized library board members who did not take the oath of office at the town clerk’s office.

The town even withheld checks from the library until the issue was settled and waited until October to release the remaining $147,500 earmarked for the library.

“As far as I’m concerned, those spots are vacant right now,” town Attorney Herb Cully told the board Wednesday.

Library board President Mary DuRoss couldn’t be reached Thursday.

Town Board member Donald Backman said he was disappointed that Cunningham and Rayhill did not take the oath at the town clerk’s office.

“It’s an important thing that they failed to do,” he said.

Kalil’s appointment was approved, 4-1, with Town Board member Dave Reynolds opposing. Kalil, a former candidate for town supervisor, will be on the board until the term expires Dec. 31, 2013.

Klein was appointed, 3-2, with Reynolds and Town Board member Christine Krupa opposing. That term expires Dec. 31, 2011.

The appointments are effective immediately.

Reynolds said he spoke to both Cunningham and Rayhill prior to the meeting Wednesday and both expressed interest in remaining on the library board. But his motion to appoint the pair to the board was met with silence from other board members.

Earlier this year, the Town Board also appointed Edmund Wiatr Jr. and Virginia Emmert to the library board. Wiatr, co-founder of watchdog group Concerned Citizens for Honest and Open Government, has since stated he will push to become president of the library board.

DuRoss is expected to remain library board president until December when elections are conducted.