RCLS Board of Trustees: Trustee Nominations

Five seats on the RCLS Board of Trustees are open for election in 2024 from the following counties: Orange County [2 seats: one full 5-year term; one partial term ending 12/31/2025], Rockland County, & Sullivan County [one full 5-year term per county]. The 5-year terms for the seats will begin January 1, 2025, and end December 31, 2029.  The seat for the representative for Ulster County is currently vacant and nominations are being accepted for that partial term which expires December 31, 2028.

No RCLS employee, nor any employee of a participating library, shall be eligible for election or appointment as a voting member of the RCLS Board of Trustees. Potential trustees must reside in the county which such trustee will represent.

Candidates need to secure a nomination from one library board in their county and a second from another library board in their county.  A letter of endorsement and a copy of the member library board meeting minutes from the respective libraries at which the nomination and second were put forth should be emailed to the RCLS Secretary of the Board attention Anita Baumann, RCLS Executive Assistant, abaumann@rcls.org.  The documents must be received by close of business Tuesday, August 6, 2024. (Samples are provided below in PDF form)

A biography prepared by the nominee should be emailed to Anita Baumann, abaumann@rcls.org, by close of business Tuesday, August 6, 2024.  The biography will be reviewed by the RCLS Board prior to the Annual Meeting and will be presented to the voting members present at the virtual meeting on September 6, 2024.  The biography may include whatever the candidate wishes to express and should highlight any previous library and/or community service.  The biography is the candidate’s opportunity to introduce themself to fellow trustees.  We ask that the biography not exceed 250 words.

The elections will be held at the Annual Meeting which begins at 8 a.m. at Palacio Catering & Conference Center in Goshen NY on Friday, September 6, 2024.   Registrants will receive a confirmation email, as well as a reminder email two (2) days prior to the meeting.  There is no charge for this event. REGISTER HERE via the RCLS calendar.

What is required of a Trustee?

A full term on the RCLS Board is five (5) years.  A Trustee may serve any number of terms, as long as not more than two (2) are consecutive.

The RCLS Board generally meets at System Headquarters in Middletown the third Tuesday of each month.  A board retreat or library visits may be held in place of or in conjunction with the July meeting.  In September, the Annual Meeting replaces the regular meeting for the RCLS Board of Trustees.  Individual committees may schedule meetings at alternate intervals or immediately before a Board meeting.  Attendance at meetings is a prerequisite for continued service as a trustee.

The RCLS Board is entrusted with the governance of the System.  It adopts Bylaws and a Plan of Service, and amends them as necessary, establishes such policies as will insure the achievement of the System’s objectives, employs an Executive Director, supervises the expenditure of the System’s funds, discharges all such responsibilities as provided for in the Bylaws, and exercises such other responsibilities as may be appropriate.  Under NYS Education Law, Trustees are required to complete two (2) hours of Trustee Education annually.  Sessions are offered by RCLS and other approved third parties to fulfill the requirement.  In addition, each Trustee shall complete Sexual Harassment Prevention Training and provide proof of completion to RCLS.