YAKIMA -- Yakima Valley Regional Library trustees are at odds over the authority granted to Executive Director Monica Weyhe and how she wields it.

A minority of the board contends some of Weyhe's powers usurp those that should rest with the board, a possible violation of state law.

They say the board has become a rubber stamp for Weyhe, and that the problem will only worsen with a series of proposed bylaw changes.

Other trustees, however, reject any suggestion they've relinquished oversight of the county's library system. They also say the bylaw changes would simply reflect how the board currently operates.

Trustee Jerry Maggard, a relatively new board member who was appointed in February 2007 by county commissioners, argues the relationship goes further than that.

"She has been programming these folks so long they trust her. She looks out for their comfort and their agreement on everything. But therein lies the problem," Maggard said. "These folks aren't voting as trustees. They are voting because of their friendship for the executive director."

Sue Rigdon of Toppenish, the longest-serving trustee at 15 years, calls the charge ludicrous.

She describes Weyhe as progressive and insightful.

"She calls us. She talks to us at meetings," Rigdon said. "She is very good at what she does. We believe her. We have no reason not to."

Trustee Melba Fujiura, a trustee for more than seven years, said she's disappointed the dispute has gone public when the board has reached no final decisions on bylaw changes.

She calls the current atmosphere on the board a feeling-out period as members of the restructured board get acquainted with one another.

Some fear the dispute may be an effort to remove Weyhe, who has been library executive director since 2002 when she succeeded Anne Haley, who retired after five years at the helm of the library. Weyhe had served as deputy director previously.

Weyhe currently is on vacation but has been checking in with staff, who agreed to pass on a message from the newspaper seeking an interview. Messages left for her at the library and on her cell telephone were not returned.

Watching from the sidelines are county commissioners, who took over authority for appointing trustees when city of Yakima voters agreed to annex to the rural library district in 2006.

The annexation resulted in a restructuring of the board from seven to five members.

Under the current schedule, commissioners appoint a new trustee each year.

In addition to Maggard, a longtime Yakima real estate broker, commissioners have appointed James Barnhill, retired publisher of the Yakima Herald-Republic.

They both come from a business background, a trait commission Chairman Ron Gamache said commissioners want to see more of on the board. He said commissioners aren't trying to meddle in the library's affairs but are concerned about the direction of the library since the annexation provided a more than $1 million infusion of tax revenues.

"We didn't go in with the idea that you need to clean up the mess," Gamache said of the commissioners' interviews with trustee candidates. "(Applicants) had an interest in what was going on. They showed their interest is legitimate and we focused on that."

"It wasn't an idea of who is screwing up. That's not our job," he added.

After annexation, library funding jumped from about $4.4 million in 2006 to nearly $5.6 million in 2007, the latter of which is generated entirely from property tax revenues.

Commissioners called the increase a windfall and encouraged the library to reduce its tax rate to take less money. The library board declined.

Tax revenues, by virtue of the 1 percent annual increase allowed by state law, will grow to nearly $5.8 million this year.

The library used some of the money to raise salaries after a survey showed wages lagged behind other libraries, purchase equipment and books.

Trustees also are looking ahead to resolving delayed maintenance of the downtown Yakima library. Erecting a new facility is a possibility, depending on adequate funding.

An architect presented estimates last month for some needs in the North Third Street library building that range from $1.6 million to $2.7 million.

But it is the bylaw issue that has Maggard and Barnhill concerned.

Like Weyhe, Barnhill also is on vacation. But in a series of e-mails to the director and other trustees over the past month, Barnhill indicated he is concerned that the relationship between the library board and the director is one of the trustees reporting to Weyhe and not the other way around.

Traditionally, top administrators of public agencies like school districts and cities serve at the pleasure of the board. They are charged with overseeing daily operations and implementing policies established by directors.

In a March 17 e-mail to Weyhe, one that he supplied to the newspaper, Barnhill said he has observed a role reversal.

"Monica, you appear, act and perform as if your (sic) totally in charge. Board trustees for the most part seem to simply follow your directions rarely questioning your actions or spending," the e-mail said.

Barnhill's concerns only grew with the series of bylaw changes.

He contended the changes may circumvent state law. He also questioned a previous change, adopted in 2006, that allowed Weyhe to sign all contracts and agreements for the library district as long as the work has been approved as part of the annual budget.

Barnhill wrote -- and Maggard agreed -- those contracts should come to the board first for approval.

Maggard also questions the director's approval of all bills prior to the board meetings. If trustees question or deny a bill, the bylaws require staff to try and have the library district reimbursed for the amounts paid.

Fujiura said the policy was changed a few years ago when the wait for trustees to approve payment of bills became a hardship for some vendors.

What is of most concern to Barnhill, however, is a proposed addition to the bylaws that would allow the librarian to "defer" requests for information or assistance from trustees or trustee committees when those requests require "in his or her opinion, an inappropriate amount of staff or other resources, or are disruptive."

Discussed briefly at the trustees' last meeting on April 29, those bylaw changes are on hold until the June meeting.

Maggard said he has had difficulty obtaining from Weyhe information on board minutes, prior audits, staffing, salaries, openings and other personnel issues.

"She doesn't respond and then has made it the duty of one of the other trustees to respond to other trustee requests," he said.

Rigdon said she disagrees with Maggard and Barnhill that the trustees are a rubber stamp.

"I think she brings everything she has to the board," she said.

* David Lester can be reached at 577-7674 or dlester@yakimaherald.com.