Press Release | Office of the Mayor | Council Approves New Library Board Members

For Immediate Release | Official Press Release

PRESS RELEASE

OFFICE OF THE MAYOR

36300 Warren Road | Westland, Michigan | 48185

Office 734.467.3200 | Fax 724.721.2310

WWW.CITYOFWESTLAND.COM

Council Approves New Library Board

Westland, MI - The Westland City Council has approved a new five member Library Board.

The five (5) member Library Board is appointed by the Mayor and confirmed by City Council. The Board oversees the Library Director and the operations of the William P. Faust Public Library. Meetings are held the second Wednesday of each month at 7:00 p.m. in the Library's Community Meeting Room, located at 6123 Central City Parkway. The five seats had been vacant following a series of resignations of the previous board members.

"In light of the unique situation of appointing an entirely new Library Board, I reached out to The Library Network, which is the largest library cooperative in the State of Michigan, serving over 2.4 million residents, to oversee the vetting process of potential candidates", commented Mayor William R. Wild.

14 residents had expressed interest and The Library Network Director, James Pletz, forwarded the top five candidates for consideration which Mayor William R. Wild then submitted to the Westland City Council for their official appointment.

The candidates that were appointed are as follows:

Julie Herrin, who brings over 38 years of library administration experience with a background that entails working with library boards, strategic plan development and oversight, plus staff management in a collective bargaining environment to the board. Mrs. Herrin has been appointed to serve a 5-year term which will expire on 8/7/2022.

Kathryn Sample, who is the current Finance Director for the City of Wayne and has 7 years of management experience for a local non-profit organization. Mrs. Sample will fill an unexpired term that will expire 8/15/21.

Gayle Nicholson, who is a long term Westland resident with extensive knowledge and experience in marketing and customer service. Mrs. Nicholson is an active community volunteer and has had great success with the organization and implementation of Cruisin' Hines and the All American Cruise will be filling an unexpired term which will expire on 2/6/21.

James Higgins brings cultural diversity to the board, coupled with a business background in management and finance. Mr. Higgins is active on many community boards and plans to incorporate new media to the array of offerings currently at the library. Mr. Higgins is filling an unexpired term which will expire on 6/20/2019.

Gary Chappell who is a 27 year Westland resident brings a background that includes the management and supervision of over 100 employees in a previous private sector career. Mr. Chappell will be filling an unexpired term which will expire on 6/20/2018.

"I am extremely appreciative of the expertise that Jim Pletz and the Library Network was able to provide, as we had fourteen very good candidates" commented Mayor Wild. "I am confident that this new board will bring a fresh perspective from a multitude of backgrounds, but will all share the common goal of supporting and improving the Westland Public Library."

Jim Pletz, Director of the Library Network

James Higgins, Gayle Nicholson, Julie Herrin, Kathryn Sample and Gary Chappell

For more information, contact Aubrey Berman, Administrative Secretary, at (734) 467-3200.

Westland, Michigan is the state's 10th largest municipality, with a population of over 84,000 people who exhibit a great deal of pride in their All-American City. Westland has a thriving business community along with beautiful residential areas. The citizens enjoy a wide array of amenities and a quality of life that is second to none.

In 2014, Westland was rated as one of 24/7 Wall Street's America's Best 50 Cities to Live, offering residents and visitors an ideal blend of single-family affordable homes, apartments and condominiums, great schools, and access to numerous outdoor activities. Public safety is delivered by full-service, professional law enforcement and firefighting personnel. Westland Police Department, whose motto is protect and serve, provides emergency dispatch services to four cities and over 100,000 residents; the Westland firefighters are licensed paramedics who responded to over 8,000 calls for service last year, about 85% being medical based. They never forget their mission of preserving life and property.

Westland is well-known as the premier destination for shopping and dining in Wayne County with hundreds of shops and restaurants anchored by the Westland Shopping Center, on of the country's original four regional malls.

Infinite opportunities are available in Westland for the recreation aficionado including, more than 40 parks and 1,500 acres of trails, a 9-hole golf course, hockey arena, athletic fields, playscapes, a Farmers and Artisans Market and more. One of Michigan's most environmentally friendly cities, Westland has a progressive curbside recycling program with one of the highest participation rates in the nation and the City is raising the bar for cultural experiences with the placement of public art throughout the City.

The City is served by two public school districts; Wayne-Westland Community Schools serving 12,000 youth was recently named one of the Best School in Michigan by WXYZ-TV and is the proud recipient of 14 Golden Apple and two Michigan Blue Ribbon Exemplary School Awards. Livonia Public Schools, educating nearly 15,000 students, is proud of their MEAP/MME scores that exceed state averages and the District has also earned Golden Apple and Michigan Blue Ribbon Exemplary School Awards.

The City provides competitive incentives for those who are interested in investing in Westland, making it one of the hottest investment markets in the region. Our Fast-Track to Business Team, which consists of key decision makers who work diligently on a development plan will "cut the red tape" and expedite the approval process for new business development.