Library Board Continues To Be Divided

Pictured Below: Board gathers for the meeting

Library Board Continues To Be Divided
By N3 News Team

The Newaygo Area District Library Board held their first board meeting since the news that Georgia Kohlbeck, whose October firing set off a storm of controversy, was to be charged with embezzlement.  About two dozen people attended the meeting where the division among board members that erupted regarding the continued employment of former Library Director Christina Golm in the months prior to her resignation once again surfaced.
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Board member Angie Chase wanted the situation regarding Ms. Kohlbeck to be placed on the agenda and...

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...Ms. Chase and Board President Sharon Haege exchanged words about the request.

Ms. Haege stated that the board could not discuss the case since she hasn’t been arraigned as yet while Ms. Chase countered with a request to talk about her as a person.

Pictured Above: Sandra Bernard addresses the board

The board agreed to allow the matter to come up during board comments if desired.

An exchange with the audience occurred during Ms. Haege’s request to add to the agenda the Victim Impact form she had been advised to fill out by investigators and the Prosecutors office, she stated.

“Is this about the library being a victim?” said one of the people at the meeting.
“Yes,” said Ms. Haege.

“For a pair of tongs? I’d love to see that report,” came the response.
Ms. Haege reiterated that board time was not a time for dialoging with the audience.

“This is our meeting.  You can observe but this is our meeting. There is public comment at the end.”

The board went on to continue through their agenda eventually discussing and deciding not to have the victim impact form filled out which brought applause from the crowd. At that point they moved to public comment.
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The only speaker was Sandra Bernard who stated, “This will be short. I have just four things to say the board,” ​

​Holding up three items she said “A book, a Christmas ornament and tongs? Really?”

Board member Deb Cunningham took the board to task in her comments stating she had felt she was treated badly by the board during this process who she felt were “swept up in the madness” of the situation. Ms. Cunningham questioned why the board did not heed the people who were coming forward to express their concern over the library leadership.Ms. Chase also chastised the board for their support of Ms. Golm.
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“The board was the only group that supported Christina,” she stated. 
Ms. Chase also called for the termination of interim Director Kelly Tinkham citing her alliance with Ms. Golm.

“I am surprised at the attitude toward the board,” stated Board Member Marjorie Redder. We were told by the police and the prosecutor over and over to not say anything and we did what we were told to do.”

Pictured Above: Deb Cunningham and Sharon Haege discuss agenda changes

​“I don’t think the investigators and the prosecutor’s office have done us any favors here,” said Mr. Roehrig. “I read the forensic report and believe we have a problem here but it seems they have washed their hands of it.”
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“However, she’s been charged with a crime and that’s how it stands now. The scale of it doesn’t come into play,” he added.
“I’m just disappointed in the lack of communication for the prosecutor’s office.”
The next Library Board Meeting is Tuesday July 19th at 4:30pm in the Newaygo City Council chambers.