Election Results in Dues Increase, New Officers
A dues increase proposed in the July 2003 California Library Association election passed with 71% of those voting supporting the increase. The new dues structure for personal members, the first in over ten years, also streamlined dues categories and added a new category for members making more than $85,000 annually. The new dues structure includes a category for supporting members, who are defined in the bylaws as non-library staff who wish to support the association but do not wish to vote or participate in association activities.
A proposal to change the membership year from January 1 to an anniversary date based on the joining month passed with 84% support.
A separate proposal, to index future dues increases to the Consumer Price Index to assure that dues keep pace with inflation, received 55% support. While this was a majority of those voting, the bylaws amendment failed, as bylaws changes require a two-thirds affirmative vote. All proposed changes met the bylaws requirement of at least 10% of voting members returning their ballot.
The average dues increase will be 9%, and will go into effect on January 1, 2004. Danis Kreimeier, Assistant Library Director at Alhambra Public Library, was elected Vice President/President-Elect. Annette Milliron, the Administrator of the North Bay Cooperative Library System, was elected Treasurer. Ten CLA members were elected to three-year terms on the Assembly. New Assembly members include Joan Allen Hart, Assistant Director for Branch Services, San Diego County Public Law Library; Chuck Ashton, Youth Services Manager, Redwood City Public Library; Natalie Cole, Director, California Center for the Book; Debra Brighton, Director of the El Segundo Public Library; Cheryl Gould, Infopeople Training Director; Michael McGrorty, a student at San Jose State University; Cynthia Olsen, Youth Services Supervisor, Torrance Public Library; Barbara Roberts, Director of the Palm Springs Public Library; Sally Tseng, Executive Director of the Chinese American Librarians Association; and Diana Wu, Reference Librarian at Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Library.
In addition, CLA sections elected new Vice-Presidents/Presidents-Elect and secretaries. All those elected will take office following the CLA conference in Ontario next month.
The CLA Assembly will fill two vacancies in that body by appointment to replace current Assembly members elected to different offices. The Assembly will meet in November.
Complete elections results are available online.