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Agenda Item
9. Recommendation to appoint one candidate from a pool of applicants including: Shauna Adams, Danielle Anders, Ilya Arbatman, Ron Aryel, Katherine Ayzengart, Kim Barghouti, Manny Becerra, Nicole Bell, Scott Benton, Paula L. Berkley, Ryan Bernardo, Bonnie Billings, Franco Biondi, Jessica Brown, Andrea Caldwell, Megan Cannella, Raymond Case, Frederick Clayton, Kate Crist, Reva Crump, Grace Davis, Heather Drew, Roger Edwards, Robert Ellis, Brian Erbis, Scott Ferguson, Scott Finley, Maria Flores, Noah Glick, Gordan Gossage, Mel Grotberg, Erica Hall, Jessica Hofmann, Wayne Holland, Naseem Jamnia, Rosemary Johnson, Megan Kay, Valieria T. Koss, Patricia Kress, Samual Lackey, Bradley Leavitt, Darla Lee, Timothy Lewis, Ed Lind, William Luikart, Jill Lynch, William Mason, Robbie Maus, Lesley Means, Krista Meier, Katelyn Miller, Olivia Nevarez-Salazar, Virginia A. Nolte, Patricia Olmstead, Melissa Olsen, Linda Park, Bruce Parks, Angeline Peterson, Peter Picetti, Ma'kayla Porter, Kelly Proud, William Puchert, Sharon Reardon, Luke Rippee, Judith Rodby, Marie Rodriguez, Tami Ruf, Christina Rutledge, Hagen Sandoval, Linda Schmitt, Roger Scime, William Sims, Monica Stabbert, Ryan Stark, Susan Stieg, Andre Stigall, Marvin Tanner, Geraldine F. Taylor, Tracey Thomas, Owen Truesdell, Charles Wellington II, Brooke Westlake, Kathleen Whitfield, Thomas Willadsen, Sylvia Willard, Nadienne Williams, Lloyd Wilson, Benjamin Zober, and Sara Zober to fill one midterm vacancy on the Washoe County Library Board of Trustees pursuant to NRS 379.020(3) beginning on April 1, 2024, and ending on June 30, 2025. Library. (All Commission Districts.) FOR POSSIBLE ACTION
I am writing to support Kathleen Whitfield for the library board. All three would be excellent choices who would support strong, well-run libraries. Ms. Whitfield, in particular, has experience in similar positions in Texas. Additionally, her experience as an attorney would help the library board navigate legal issues that may come up. If Ms. Whitfield is not appointed, I also support Tami Ruf and Noah Glick.
I am writing regarding the appointment of another member of the Washoe County Library Board of Trustees.
Please appoint someone who is a team player; we cannot continue to have our library meetings held hostage to the whims of a tyrannically-minded minority who are only interested in the library as it relates to their political games. There are many qualified candidates experienced in working well with others, candidates who have a genuine love for the library and the diverse populations it serves. I recommend the candidates Tami Ruf, Megan Cannella, and Ilya Arbatman as they are all active members of Reno's community who have shown commitment to Reno, to a love of literature and to the freedom to read.
A candidate who cannot hold to the baseline understanding that the library is not a place to weaponize their religious beliefs against the rest of the population cannot be regarded as working in the community's best interests. And in this case, I am recommending *against* candidates Reva Crump, Bruce Parks, Patricia Kress, and Linda Park, none of whom are interested in working with or protecting the rights of a diverse population. 3 of the 4 candidates were mentioned in the illegal "call to action" put out by Calvery Chapel of Reno Sparks "Impact Team": https://cimpact.us/announcements/appointment-of-board-of-trustee. And make no mistake, it is illegal for churches to recommend candidates: "churches & religious organizations, are absolutely prohibited from directly or indirectly participating in, or intervening in, any political campaign on behalf of (or in opposition to) any candidate for elective public office."
The fact that our local churches feel emboldened to challenge the separation of church and state in such a direct way should be deeply troubling to all of us. The fact that these candidates have been recommended by a church should be a serious indicator that they are not interested in helping the larger Reno population and instead are running so that they can limit us according to their religion. Any candidate who cannot separate their religious feelings from their duties as an elected official cannot be regarded as a serious contender.
I support Kate Whitfield, Tami Ruf and Noah Glick for the Library bord. These 3 people are well qualified to be on the Washoe County Library board to represent us.
I support Kate Whitfield, Tami Ruf and Noah Glick for the Library bord. These 3 people are well qualified to be on the Washoe County Library board to represent us.
I support Kate Whitfield, Tami Ruf and Noah Glick for the Library bord. These 3 people are well qualified to be on the Washoe County Library board to represent us.
I am writing regarding the appointment of another member of the Washoe County Library Board of Directors.
A public library system cannot operate on the whims of a few citizens who do not like certain books because of their own personal/religious views. A public library needs to be just that – a PUBLIC library that serves all members of the public. If certain people do not like the books that are at the library, then they should not read them. However, these individuals should not impose their views on the rest of the community and prevent others from reading books that others in the community desire to read.
I urge you to appoint Tami Ruf to the Washoe County Library Board, who is uniquely qualified to serve. I am certain you have her qualifications and will not make this email longer by including them here.
I recommend Kathleen Whitfield. She has been a positive force in our neighborhood helping me with HOA issues. She has past experience being on the library board in her hometown plus 3 terms on the school board. She is also a coach for Girls on the Run. We need highly educated people, such as Kate, on the Library Board. She investigates issues, uses critical thinking skills and comes up with win-win solutions.
Kathleen (Kate) Whitfield is a retired attorney. She has experience as a former Sherman, Texas School Board and Library Board Member and President of Sherman Friends of the Library. Also, she is committed to health and well-being of children in the Washoe County as a volunteer coach for Girls on the Run.
Tami Ruf is a retired Washoe County teacher/librarian who is a regular library user and regularly attends library board meetings. She's committed to serving all members of the community.
Noah Glick is a former KUNR radio producer/host. Mr. Glick is the father to two young children and regularly attends library programs. All the these applicants would bring professionalism and decorum to the Washoe County Library Board.
I thank the Board for considering my application to be a Library Trustee. I'm also thrilled to see how many other applicants there are. It's wonderful to see how many community members want to support our libraries. I've worked my entire adult life in service of helping others experience and access literacy and community--both as a teacher and now as the Director of Outreach for a national nonprofit that works to provide support and opportunities for neurodivergent learners and their families. Libraries are a staple of the community--they provide countless resources and opportunities for community members of all ages. The library lets people have experiences and access knowledge they otherwise would not encounter. And what makes that special is that at the library, you can do that with others. Even the simple act of checking out a book puts you in community with everyone else who has read that book. In a hard world, the library provides refuge and resources to find joy and opportunity. As a teacher, I worked hard to make sure my students had access to support resources--even when that meant I had to help them find organizations outside of their school. In my nonprofit role, I work hard to find organizations and experts to partner with to bring more robust and accessible resources to the neurodivergent learners and families I work with. After my dad died when I was three years old, I was raised by a single mom. I know how hard it can be to access resources and opportunities. Libraries helped my family immensely in this way. My first three jobs, from high school to college, were in libraries--partly because my mom said I'd spend my whole paycheck if I worked in a bookstore and partly because it was a chance to work in a safe and vibrant environment where I could help others. I've spent so much of my life benefiting from library services. I'm glad to be in a position where I can give back. If given the opportunity to serve Washoe County as a Library Trustee, I will bring my commitment to accessibility, and I will work hard to ensure our libraries continue to safe, fun, and enriching part of our beautiful community. Thank you for your time and consideration.
I am writing to support Kathleen Whitfield for the library board. All three would be excellent choices who would support strong, well-run libraries. Ms. Whitfield, in particular, has experience in similar positions in Texas. Additionally, her experience as an attorney would help the library board navigate legal issues that may come up. If Ms. Whitfield is not appointed, I also support Tami Ruf and Noah Glick.
I am writing regarding the appointment of another member of the Washoe County Library Board of Trustees.
Please appoint someone who is a team player; we cannot continue to have our library meetings held hostage to the whims of a tyrannically-minded minority who are only interested in the library as it relates to their political games. There are many qualified candidates experienced in working well with others, candidates who have a genuine love for the library and the diverse populations it serves. I recommend the candidates Tami Ruf, Megan Cannella, and Ilya Arbatman as they are all active members of Reno's community who have shown commitment to Reno, to a love of literature and to the freedom to read.
A candidate who cannot hold to the baseline understanding that the library is not a place to weaponize their religious beliefs against the rest of the population cannot be regarded as working in the community's best interests. And in this case, I am recommending *against* candidates Reva Crump, Bruce Parks, Patricia Kress, and Linda Park, none of whom are interested in working with or protecting the rights of a diverse population. 3 of the 4 candidates were mentioned in the illegal "call to action" put out by Calvery Chapel of Reno Sparks "Impact Team": https://cimpact.us/announcements/appointment-of-board-of-trustee. And make no mistake, it is illegal for churches to recommend candidates: "churches & religious organizations, are absolutely prohibited from directly or indirectly participating in, or intervening in, any political campaign on behalf of (or in opposition to) any candidate for elective public office."
The fact that our local churches feel emboldened to challenge the separation of church and state in such a direct way should be deeply troubling to all of us. The fact that these candidates have been recommended by a church should be a serious indicator that they are not interested in helping the larger Reno population and instead are running so that they can limit us according to their religion. Any candidate who cannot separate their religious feelings from their duties as an elected official cannot be regarded as a serious contender.
I support Kate Whitfield, Tami Ruf and Noah Glick for the Library bord. These 3 people are well qualified to be on the Washoe County Library board to represent us.
I support Kate Whitfield, Tami Ruf and Noah Glick for the Library bord. These 3 people are well qualified to be on the Washoe County Library board to represent us.
I support Kate Whitfield, Tami Ruf and Noah Glick for the Library bord. These 3 people are well qualified to be on the Washoe County Library board to represent us.
I am writing regarding the appointment of another member of the Washoe County Library Board of Directors.
A public library system cannot operate on the whims of a few citizens who do not like certain books because of their own personal/religious views. A public library needs to be just that – a PUBLIC library that serves all members of the public. If certain people do not like the books that are at the library, then they should not read them. However, these individuals should not impose their views on the rest of the community and prevent others from reading books that others in the community desire to read.
I urge you to appoint Tami Ruf to the Washoe County Library Board, who is uniquely qualified to serve. I am certain you have her qualifications and will not make this email longer by including them here.
Sincerely,
Julia Gold
I recommend Kathleen Whitfield. She has been a positive force in our neighborhood helping me with HOA issues. She has past experience being on the library board in her hometown plus 3 terms on the school board. She is also a coach for Girls on the Run. We need highly educated people, such as Kate, on the Library Board. She investigates issues, uses critical thinking skills and comes up with win-win solutions.
Kathleen (Kate) Whitfield is a retired attorney. She has experience as a former Sherman, Texas School Board and Library Board Member and President of Sherman Friends of the Library. Also, she is committed to health and well-being of children in the Washoe County as a volunteer coach for Girls on the Run.
Tami Ruf is a retired Washoe County teacher/librarian who is a regular library user and regularly attends library board meetings. She's committed to serving all members of the community.
Noah Glick is a former KUNR radio producer/host. Mr. Glick is the father to two young children and regularly attends library programs. All the these applicants would bring professionalism and decorum to the Washoe County Library Board.
I thank the Board for considering my application to be a Library Trustee. I'm also thrilled to see how many other applicants there are. It's wonderful to see how many community members want to support our libraries. I've worked my entire adult life in service of helping others experience and access literacy and community--both as a teacher and now as the Director of Outreach for a national nonprofit that works to provide support and opportunities for neurodivergent learners and their families. Libraries are a staple of the community--they provide countless resources and opportunities for community members of all ages. The library lets people have experiences and access knowledge they otherwise would not encounter. And what makes that special is that at the library, you can do that with others. Even the simple act of checking out a book puts you in community with everyone else who has read that book. In a hard world, the library provides refuge and resources to find joy and opportunity. As a teacher, I worked hard to make sure my students had access to support resources--even when that meant I had to help them find organizations outside of their school. In my nonprofit role, I work hard to find organizations and experts to partner with to bring more robust and accessible resources to the neurodivergent learners and families I work with. After my dad died when I was three years old, I was raised by a single mom. I know how hard it can be to access resources and opportunities. Libraries helped my family immensely in this way. My first three jobs, from high school to college, were in libraries--partly because my mom said I'd spend my whole paycheck if I worked in a bookstore and partly because it was a chance to work in a safe and vibrant environment where I could help others. I've spent so much of my life benefiting from library services. I'm glad to be in a position where I can give back. If given the opportunity to serve Washoe County as a Library Trustee, I will bring my commitment to accessibility, and I will work hard to ensure our libraries continue to safe, fun, and enriching part of our beautiful community. Thank you for your time and consideration.