Mindy Kittay Employment Contract Temporarily Extended

Mindy Kittay working at Altadena Public Library (Photo – Facebook, Altadena Library District).

After a public meeting of approximately 3 hours and a closed session of more than 2 hours last night, the Altadena Library District Board of Trustees announced through its attorney Ruben Duran that it had voted in closed session 4-0-1 to extend Library Director Mindy Kittay’s employment contract for 90 days.

By News Desk

Mindy Kittay, the District Library Director, released the following statement:

I thank the many Altadenans who showed up last night urging the Board to renew my contract because of the dramatic improvements at the Library during my 3-year stewardship.

I especially want to commend two courageous Library employees – Kylynn Chaney and Chloe Cavelier d’Esclavelles – who risked their jobs by publicly talking about the positive changes at the Library and  supporting renewal of my contract. I am ready to return to work. I hope that the emerging new leadership on the Board is finding a path to overcome the negativity of the last nine months that will enable me to return to work and move the Library forward on a strategic plan for the future.

The Director’s attorney, Dale Gronemeier, released a statement reiterating the Director’s commitment to her employment:

Director Kittay seeks continuation of her employment, not a monetary settlement.

The meaning of the Board’s 90-day extension of Director Kittay’s employment contract is unclear. What the Board does in the interregnum between now and the end of September will determine whether the Board’s emerging leadership is acting constructively or continuing the destructive practices of the last nine month.

He added by saying:

If the Board’s action just kicks the can down the road and seeks to buy out Director Kittay, it will waste the taxpayer’s money and engender a lawsuit. If the Board finds a way to survey its staff, understands why the staff overwhelmingly supports Direct Kittay’s return, and renews Director Kittay’s contract for three years, its action last night will have been constructive.

Director Kittay, who was present for the announcement, asked the Board president, Betsy Kahn, if the action ended her being prohibited from returning to work because she is on administrative leave. Kahn declined to respond.