Dickinson Library Board welcomes fresh faces amidst surge in citizen interest
Jun. 7—DICKINSON — The Dickinson Area Public Library Board welcomed new members on Tuesday, June 6, after City commissioners voted 3-1 to approve recommended candidates for appointment. The new members were among a larger than usual candidate pool following a notable surge in applications in a process that has sparked concerns over the transparency and vetting, prompting a call for improvements and a review of appointment procedures.
Three individuals, Marcus Fries, Kimberly Ho, and Luke Hurt, have been chosen to join the library board, highlighting their commitment to serving the community. This appointment brings a fresh perspective to the board, as each member comes from diverse backgrounds.
Marcus Fries, originally from Mott, ND, is a mathematics professor at Dickinson State University. Luke Hurt, a native of western North Dakota, currently serves as a paraprofessional and speech coach at Dickinson Public Schools. Kimberly Ho, a devoted wife and mother of three, joins the board and the Dickinson community from Fairfield, California.
Mayor Scott Decker applauded the community members for stepping forward and filling these roles, emphasizing that the candidates' diverse backgrounds will contribute unique perspectives to the board.
"I know when I sat on the library board we struggled to find even one applicant, so I really appreciate the citizens stepping up and filling these roles and I know the commission does too," Decker said.
Library director Dani Kappel acknowledged receiving six citizen interest forms for the board member positions, marking a significant increase compared to previous years.
It's not often that commissioners gavels a decision that isn't unanimous, but that's exactly what happened on Tuesday night as Commissioner Robert Baer raised multiple concerns about complaints in the library board interview process and the role of commissioners in appointing library members.
Baer expressed apprehensions about the direction of the board's decisions and the safety measures in place for children at the library.
In response, library director Dani Kappel clarified her involvement in the selection process, affirming that she did not provide any recommendations and entrusted the decision entirely to the library board.
"I didn't make any recommendation actually. Any six of them I would have been completely fine with and I made that clear to my library board that I really did not make any recommendation, I didn't ask them any questions at the library board meeting, I let my board officiate the entire thing," Kappel said.
City Attorney Christina Wenko expressed her confidence in the thorough vetting process that the candidates underwent. She further discussed the possibility of reviewing the appointment process for all boards.
"I would say based on what I understood of the interview process, these candidates were more thoroughly vetted than probably any other board that we have seen on any other city serving board," Wenko said.
Five citizens raised concerns at the meeting regarding the appointment process, expressing their dismay at the lack of clear and concise communication prior to the interview process beginning. They noted that it was during the board meeting, which they called disorganized and confusing, that they were questioned for the position in public forum.
Ruth Heley, in particular, noted that the lack of communication prior to and during the meeting raised concern. She advocated for improvements and greater transparency in the process moving forward.
"At this meeting, there seemed to be some palpable confusion as to how the process should take place. Some of the candidates did seem uninformed as to what would happen at this meeting and they seemed confused to my observation," she said. "The board members themselves even seemed a little unsure how the voting process would take place, like it wasn't communicated ahead of time."
Linda Carlson, Deputy City Administrator of Dickinson and ex-officio Library Board official, acknowledged that while the process may have seemed uncertain, it was a new experience for all participants. She emphasized that the objective was to prioritize openness and transparency throughout the process.
City Commissioners expressed a willingness to review the appointment process, before ultimately approving the candidates recommended by the Library Board, despite Baer's objections.
