Librarians: Meg Backus Resigns Position, Nate Hill Suspended at Chattanooga Public Library

UPDATED September 15, 2014
A full text copy of the Chattanooga Public Library Board Report about the “deficiencies” at the library is now available and embedded below.
—
Below is an update to a story we first posted about last week.
See: “Thousands Misspent at Chattanooga Public Library as Director, Top Aides Cited in Report”
Posted: August 29, 2014. This post also includes the full text of the auditor’s report.

Today’s News (September 5, 2014)
From the Chattanooga Times Free Press:

After two top Chattanooga Library officials were reported to the state for suspected fraud, one official has resigned and another will be suspended.
Library Systems Administrator Meg Backus has resigned and Administrative Director Nate Hill will be suspended, Executive Director Corinne Hill said this morning.
Hill told the library’s board at a special called meeting that she will investigate Nate Hill and she would work to bring the library in line with all of Chattanooga’s policies.

Read the Complete Article
UPDATE 1: From Nooga.com

At the board meeting, Corinne Hill read through many of the findings of the auditor’s report and outlined preliminary steps that have been taken since its release. Many board members did not learn about the auditor’s investigation, which began in December, until they received the report last week.
“As executive director of the library, I take full responsibility for what has happened,” Hill said. “I did this board an incredible disservice.”

Read the Complete Article
—
UPDATE 2 September 6, 2014
The Chattanooga Times-Free Press has published more on this story.

…Corinne Hill told the board she has repaid her own overcharges and cleared her name.
Corinne Hill told the board that after she met with the city auditor in December she changed the policy for requesting travel reimbursement by the city. She said she had allowed her staff to be reimbursed by the city and nonprofit support group Friends of the Library for different items on a single trip. But she said that practice caused confusion and led to double reimbursements.
Corinne Hill apologized to the board for not reimbursing the money immediately and for not insisting that Nate Hill do the same.
Someone in the audience asked the board whether Corinne Hill’s trips to international conferences were excessive and whether they directly helped the library. Board Chairman James Kennedy defended the trips, saying they have increased the Chattanooga Library’s presence worldwide.

Read the Complete Article
Library Journal is working on additional coverage of this story.

Board Report (Added to Post on September 15, 2014)

Chattanooga Public Library Board Report

Filed under: Libraries, News, Public Libraries