Library board picks Heikkinen

Phil Heikkinen will be Orcas Island’s new library director. Library trustees voted to offer him the job at a special meeting July 21.

Heikkinen accepted the position two days after learning that the job was his. Terms of his employment will include a salary of $62,500, moving expenses totaling $2,500, plus a package of medical, dental, vision, life disability and retirement benefits that go to all paid staff. He will assume his new role on Sept. 20.

“All three (finalists) were high qualified,” Trustee Chase Riveland said at a special meeting July 21 at the Eastsound Fire Hall. Heikkinen’s experience directing a small community library proved to be the selling point.

Maurine Barnett has had many years experience working in libraries, but none as a director. The third finalist, Lesley Gaudreau, withdrew, citing personal reasons, according to board President Bob Henigson.

Here’s what some of the other trustees said about Heikkinen:

Lynn Richards: “He has some toughness to make the tough decisions. He is also very thoughtful, and very capable.”

George Garrels: “Being a director of a small community library is a positive thing. As for living on an island, he lives in a smaller, more remote community (Show Low, Ariz,. about four hours by car from Phoenix). If we ever do expansion, it would be a positive, because has worked on expansion.”

Paige McCormick: “Phil comes out stronger in terms of our qualifications.”

Henigson: “Phil would be my first choice because of his youth and experience.”

Harvey Himmelfarb, a member of the search committee, praised the trustees for welcoming public dialogue, saying “It contributed to a wonderful future for the library.”

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