The nine-member board that governs Elmhurst's $8.97 million public library is operating with a third of its seats empty, and Mayor Scott Levin has not publicly addressed the vacancies or announced nominees.
Three trustees — Cindy Wellwood, Jane Chornij, and Taylor Holop — held terms that expired Tuesday, July 1. Under the library's governance rules, the mayor nominates replacements with City Council approval. As of Saturday, July 26, Levin has made no public statement about the open seats.
The board held its regular monthly meeting Tuesday, July 21, at 7 p.m. in the Kossmann Room at 125 S. Prospect Ave. The library's website, checked Wednesday, July 22, still listed all three expired-term trustees on its official roster with no new appointments reflected.
What it means for the board
With only six of nine seats filled, the board can still reach quorum under standard Illinois rules — but barely. Any single absence among the remaining trustees could prevent the body from conducting official business. The six seated members are President Susan Sadowski, Vice President Marsha Baker, Secretary Ingrid Becton, Carol Jacobsen, William Ryan, and Bill Shanklin.
Budget at stake
The library's fiscal year 2026 operating budget totals $8,973,200, funded almost entirely by a property tax levy of $8,878,300 that supports 44 full-time and 53 part-time staff positions, according to the library's public records. The board sets that budget annually before it is incorporated into the city's overall spending plan.
No statutory deadline confirmed
The Elmhurst Public Library operates as a municipal library under the Illinois Local Library Act (75 ILCS 5), meaning the mayor — not the board itself — fills vacancies. A separate state statute imposes a 90-day deadline on vacancy appointments for library districts, but whether that timeline applies to a municipal library like Elmhurst's has not been confirmed.
What happens next
No City Council agenda item for library board appointments has been posted as of July 26. The board's next regular meeting falls on Tuesday, August 19.
Residents interested in serving can obtain an application at City Hall or at elmhurst.org. Public comments to the board can be sent to Director Mary Beth Harper at [email protected].
