Garcia appointed to Gail Borden library board

Amanda Garcia was appointed to a vacant seat on the Gail Borden Public Library Board after missing being elected in April by one spot.

Garcia was appointed Tuesday to fill a seat that had been open since January but was not on the election ballot. The incumbents - Patricia Harkin, Sue Moylan and Elizabeth Kruger - were re-elected in April, when Garcia placed fourth in the six-person race.

The board received nine applications for the vacant seat, Board President Jean Bednar said.

Bednar said she asked for volunteers, who were Harkin and Moylan, to review the applications and present their recommendation to the board.

"I think (Garcia) will be a great addition to the board. I'm excited to have somebody younger," she said. "In a perfect world, we'd have a good mix of male and female, and diversity, and maybe somebody from South Elgin," she added about the board, which is made up of five women and one man.

Garcia said she is looking forward to serving in her new role and plans to "listen first."

She wants to explore ways to increase walkability to the library and better engage Elgin's diverse community, possibly with signage in various languages and a section devoted to Lao culture, she said.

"I feel a sense of responsibility to people who are my age," Garcia said, "because I want to do millennials proud and prove that millennials want to have a voice at the table and, if given the opportunity, rise to the occasion."

One board member, Penny Wegman, voted "no" to Garcia's appointment. Wegman said she objected to the process but does believe Garcia "will be a great fit" for the board.

All board members should have been given the nine applications for review in order to make a joint, informed decision, she said.

"Instead, it was having to jump through hoops to get the resumes," she said. "It wasn't transparent."

Bednar said all board members had the option to go to the library and review the applications.