Elmont Memorial Library director resigns

Maggie Gough, the director of the Elmont Memorial Library, submitted a letter on Aug. 15 announcing her decision to resign. Gough’s resignation will be effective at the close of business on Sept. 2.

In an emailed statement to the library’s Board of Trustees, Gough stated that, should the board desire, she would remain in the job until mid-October. “Going forward, I will be available to assist in answering any outstanding questions or issues,” she added. “I appreciate the many opportunities I have had working for this board, with this staff in this exceptional community. I wish you well in your future endeavors.”

Gough has served as the library’s director since May 11, 2009. She declined to comment on her resignation until the board’s next meeting, which was scheduled for Thursday at 8 p.m.

Joanne Mazzeo, president of the board, said that the resignation will need to be formally submitted and approved by the board in executive session before any further steps can be taken. The board will review Gough’s contract and resignation letter, Mazzeo added, and if it is approved, her resignation will be announced at the meeting.

The Elmont Memorial Library opened in September 2006, and Gough is its fifth director. Her immediate predecessor was John Bosco, who served for only six months.

In an online blog, Bosco wrote that he had to resign due to trustee and business manager interference. His blog, he added, was created as an “attempt to change the insulting mismanagement of library directors by unethical and bad behaving boards … these boards also make their staffs absolutely miserable in their daily jobs through direct interference, abuse, and bullying.”

Some residents have speculated that Gough’s resignation was based on an unsteady and, at times, clashing relationship with the library board.

Pat Nicolosi, a board member, said that although he was uncertain of Gough’s reason for resigning, he would be disappointed if it was based on the board. “If there’s a problem, you stay and you fix it,” Nicolosi said. “You don’t just run away.”

He added that before Gough submitted her resignation, the board was planning to begin an evaluation of her, after which she may have been eligible for a raise. Her annual salary is $95,000. Last year the board chose not to approve any raises for the library’s management team, but did approve a raise of nearly 1 percent for other employees, including the board’s business consultant, attorney, recording secretary and treasurer.

“If she’s using [salary] as an excuse, then how dare she?” Nicolosi said. “She makes a good salary for what she does.”

Mazzeo declined to comment further until after Thursday’s meeting.

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