Gonzales steps down from library post

Joeten Kiyu Public Library executive director John Oliver Gonzales has stepped down from his post after turning in his resignation letter yesterday, according to JKPL Library board chair Mark Rabauliman.

This comes almost a month after JKPL staff walked out on Gonzales on Feb. 18, complaining of a “climate of fear” at the library, forcing the hand of library board members to resolve the conflict.

JKPL’s Children Library associate Erlinda Naputi will be the acting executive director in Gonzales’ stead.

Rabauliman said it was in the board’s best interest to let go of Gonzales. He said Gonzales was okay about the board’s decision and acted professionally about it.

In a phone interview with Saipan Tribune last night, Gonzales said he is proud of his tenure at JKPL, where he led efforts to modernize the library.

“We’ve made many improvements such as the roof repairs and the latest retrofits. Since it was built, I undertook the largest infrastructure upgrades to modernize it and the millions of dollars of grants that I wrote and successfully secured,” he said.

In a nutshell, he said it was best to preserve the library’s integrity because, “it is evident that the mediocre ‘status quo habits’ of the staff are not able to keep up and adapt with strict management internal controls and high expectations necessary to maximize, generate, and analyze data and outputs and maximize program and community impact.”

He added, “I required staff to do these and if we analyze data we use that to drive our programs and this is where we should fix the weaknesses and make it effective and efficient. We had programs to provide, people’s needs, and have to consistently review those standards. So I required the staff to do these and see if we’re meeting their needs.”

Gonzales also hit back at what he described as some of the library staff’s “questionable work ethics.”

“There were so many infractions regarding time and attendance and are habitually late, their excessive absences on the job. When staff is absent, work does not get done. So other staff have to pick up the slack and that impacts our workload. Everything has been transparent with the issues and expenditures. I don’t have any message to the staff other than to honor the mission and bear in mind that our ultimate loyalty is to our patrons, the CNMI, and federal funders, donors, and also the Joeten Kiyu benefactors and their families.”

Library board member Frank Villagomez said they would lose a good executive director because Gonzales was able to secure over $1 million in federal grants and, with the help of the staff and council, JKPL saw renovations since it first opened in 1991.

“Mr. Gonzales’ resignation was due to the many discussions with the staff and we asked him to tender his resignation and he willingly gave his resignation. I guess he is ready to move on and utilize his skills elsewhere in the government,” he said.

Villagomez said one of the main reasons why the decision on Gonzales’ fate took awhile is that they had to secure the budget and the federal grants that were pending. He said they needed Gonzales to complete these tasks before he resigned.

“We wanted to maintain the operations of the library and that it doesn’t fall in anyway,” he said.

As for the search for a new executive director, Villagomez said they haven’t announced the position yet.

“On behalf of the council we would like to thank the public and staff and everyone that were really waiting for this decision and thank them for their patience as we resolve this issue,” Villagomez said.

In a separate interview, JKPL technical services librarian Rosalyn Ajoste said she was relieved that Gonzales has resigned.

“It is like a breath of fresh air for the library staff and it is a relief that we can go back to serving the community and doing what is in the best interest of the library,” Ajoste said.