The Shorewood Village Board removed two library board members ahead of workplace investigation
Ahead of the Shorewood Village Board’s investigation into the village library’s workplace environment, the board removed two of the seven library board members and is looking to replace them.
In a memo sent to residents Nov. 2, Village Manager Rebecca Ewald posted a request for applications to join the library board.
The posting comes two weeks after former Library Board President Alex Dimitroff and board member Donna Whittle received notice from Village Board President Ann McKaig that the two had been removed from the board.
Oct. 18, the village board announced it was initiating an investigation into the Shorewood Public Library after receiving multiple complaints regarding the library’s workplace environment.
Village officials didn’t provide information about the complaints that ignited the investigation, but the announcement followed weeks of back-and-forth accusations and arguments between the Library Board and former Library Director Jen Gerber, according to complaints obtained by the Journal Sentinel last month.
Gerber, who was captured on library surveillance camera footage burning a former staff member’s doll, announced she was resigning on Oct. 12, less than two weeks after announcing she was taking medical leave on Sept. 30.
Two library board members ousted at special village board meeting
On Oct. 20, the village board held a special meeting where the members discussed the library board in a closed session and voted unanimously to remove Dimitroff and Whittle from their positions. Trustees Arthur Ircink and Kathy Stokebrand were not present.
Before the vote to remove Dimitroff, Trustee Melissa Baldauff said, “Under president Dimitroff’s tenure and leadership, we’ve experienced significant turmoil among the workforce with multiple complaints filed. I believe we need new leadership to study the library environment.”
Trustee Eric Couto said, “I’ve lost confidence in the library board president’s ability to effectively steer the direction of the library board.”
During the vote to remove Whittle, multiple trustees said she had drafted agendas and minutes for the library personnel committee inconsistently according to Wisconsin open meetings laws. Trustee Jerry Lynn noted an instance where Whittle cited a closed session without any supporting statutory provisions or explanation.
Trustees picked temporary replacements for library board
The board also voted to temporarily replace Dimitroff and Whittle with Couto and Wesley Warren, a former trustee who serves as assistant general counsel for the Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company in Milwaukee.
In an email responding to McKaig, Dimitroff lamented the board’s swift decision to fire her before the investigation was completed.
“The lack of due process and transparency by the Village Board these past few weeks has been nothing short of astonishing,” said Dimitroff, who served on the library board for almost nine years. “That you are making these kinds of decisions without gathering all of the facts is just irresponsible.”
Asked about her removal, Whittle declined to comment.
Village Board President Ann McKaig could not be reached for comment.
Contact Claudia Levens at clevens@gannett.com. Follow her on X at @levensc13.
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This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Shorewood Library investigation: Two library board members removed
