Batavia library board removes trustee

The Batavia library board removed Ed Skahan as trustee Tuesday night for failure to attend board meetings the last year.

Skahan had served on the board since 2005. The last meeting he attended was in September 2010.

The Illinois Public Library District Act allows a board to declare a vacancy if a trustee hasn't attended for a year.

Skahan could not be reached for comment Wednesday.

Board President Doug Sullivan said he had tried about a dozen times to contact Skahan, and that last month the board sent Skahan a registered letter informing him that it intended to remove him from the board if he did not show up at the October meeting. The library has received no paperwork indicating Skahan signed for the letter, Sullivan said.

Sullivan said that for awhile, Skahan was working out of state, but would return to attend library meetings.

People interested in filling the vacancy must live in the district. A map is available at bataviapubliclibrary.org. The replacement will serve through May 2013. Trustees meet the third Tuesday of the month, and serve on one or more committees.

Letters of application should include name, address, email address, telephone number, reasons for wanting to serve on the board, and a statement of experience. Send letters to Open Seat, Board of Library Trustees, Batavia Public Library, 10 S. Batavia Ave., Batavia, 60510-2793; or send the letter to trustees@bataviapubliclibrary.org.

Candidates will be interviewed Nov. 15.

For more information, call library director George H. Scheetz at (630) 879-1393, extension 350.