Downers Grove council moves to form joint task force to study library board selection options

The Downers Grove Village Council discussed and moved toward creating a joint ad hoc task force with the Downers Grove Public Library to study methods for selecting library trustees, council members said. Council members described a narrow, fact-finding charge: review possible selection models (elected, appointed, hybrid and other options), list the attributes of each method and report pros and cons back to both bodies.

Why it matters: council members and residents said the work could inform whether the council places a referendum on the ballot and would give voters and both boards more information before any decision about altering trustee selection. Several speakers said the project should preserve the option of a September timeline so a change could be presented in the next election cycle if the council wished.

Council discussion and agreed scope

Council members repeatedly returned to three practical design questions: composition, scope and timing. Martin (commenter) argued an ad hoc should be “no more than 2 members of each board” to keep the group nimble. Greg (commenter) urged a narrow, evidence-driven task: “I think the primary focus should be to determine what facts are necessary, in order to make an informed decision about that question.” Several council members and trustees voiced support for that approach and for monthly public meetings held in council chambers with staff support and minutes.

Commissioner Tully warned of overreach if the group began to propose changes to appointment or removal authority, saying those are items that typically should be handled in regular council meetings. Other council members said parallel work on short-term improvements to the appointment process could proceed at any time and would not need to wait for the task force’s final report.

Timeline and deliverable

Multiple speakers described a working schedule that would start in March and aim for a September deliverable so the council would retain the option of a referendum. The planned deliverable is a written report that outlines possible models for selecting trustees, explains the processes required for each model and lists pluses and minuses — primarily fact-finding with the potential for optional recommendations if the council later asks for them.

Public comment highlights

Kylie Spurn, a Downers Grove resident, summarized state law and local practice: “The Illinois Library Act states that for libraries established under the Commissioner Form of Local Government, the council shall appoint the library trustees.” Spurn also noted a longstanding village appointment policy adopted in 1994 that outlines the liaison, vetting and nomination steps and urged the council to update that written policy rather than relying on informal practice.

Other public speakers urged more citizen participation in the task force. Eileen Breiner said the process lacked citizen input and recommended adding one or two citizens to the group; other residents asked the council to consider the history of library governance in Downers Grove and to collect testimony from outside experts and officials from other jurisdictions.

Options flagged for study

Speakers asked the task force to consider a wide range of approaches rather than a simple appointed-vs-elected binary: modest changes to the appointment process, hybrid models that preserve some appointed elements while increasing transparency, and the creation of a library district (which carries its own legal, tax and procedural consequences). Several council members stressed the work should identify the “universe of possibilities” and the likely ripple effects — including budget, tax and shared-services impacts — rather than endorse a single solution immediately.

Next steps

Council members said staff will draft the task force charge and meeting logistics, and both bodies will select representatives. The group is expected to meet publicly, provide regular short report-outs to the council and library board, and return a fact-based report to the council by the agreed timeframe so elected officials and the public can weigh options.

Ending

No final policy change was adopted at the meeting. The council concluded by asking staff to prepare the task force framework and to begin selecting members so work can begin under the March–September timetable many members described.