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Machiavellian machinations
at the Hastings Library?

The Hastings Public Library Board has announced the groundbreaking for the new building May 19, but the hoopla has been tainted by disturbing evidence of inside political and inter-personal fighting that may lead to the premature exit of Library Administrator Barbara Schondelmayer who is said to be planning to retire at the end of 2007, after the new library has been completed and is up and running.

Reading the Hastings Banner last November, I picked up on some curious comments made by Hastings Township Supervisor Jim Brown to the City Council, something to the effect that building a new library without the person who led the charge to get it done just doesn’t look good to the public. Up until that point, I didn’t even know there was a problem and couldn't make much sense of the comments so I kept my eyes and ears open for the rest of the story. It came when the Banner checked with Schondelmayer and with Library Board President Brenda Teegardin, both did a lot of dancing, declining to give straight answers to concerned questions about what’s really happening here. That’s a sure sign something stinks. Don’t be all that surprised if we see an announcement that Schondelmayer is retiring “to spend more time with her family” or “to pursue other career interests,” code phrases in the business and public relations worlds that really mean somebody was told to retire, step down, resign, or face the alternative of being fired.

The question is, why would Barb Schondelmayer be on the hot seat? She has been the administrator for 21 years without any serious problems, yet now, just as her dream of having a new library built is close to being realized, she’s having unpleasant “discussions” with the Library Board. Why is the Library Board in a hurry to have her step down in such an important period in the library’s history?

Schondelmayer, despite lacking a master of library science degree, seems to have done a competent job as administrator. Getting rid of her at this point only seems to be a public relations disaster. Word on the street is that Lizanne Fehsenfeld, current director of the Thornapple Arts Council, covets Schondelmayer’s job. Fehsenfeld just happens to be the vice president of the Library Board. She also was on the Thornapple Arts Council Board when its director resigned abruptly and she took over at the helm, first as an “interim” but then staying on as the permanent leader. She seems to be an ambitious woman who has a way of working herself into higher positions of power. That's fine, but not if it comes at the expense of someone who has served ably and has finally helped achieve something so many have sought for so long- a new library for the city of Hastings.