Chairman Wong called the meeting to order at 8:02 a.m. and stated that the meeting was being conducted via videoconference pursuant to the Governor's March 13, 2020 proclamation of a state of disaster affecting all counties in Texas due to Covid-19 and the Governor’s March 16, 2020, suspension of certain provisions of the Texas Open Meetings Act to slow the spread of the coronavirus.  Chairman Wong said the meeting was posted on the Texas Register on August 18, 2021, and that notice indicated the meeting would be conducted via videoconference providing a weblink and phone number for the public to use to access, listen, and participate in the meeting. 

Roll call for members and establishment of a quorum. 

Chairman Wong conducted a roll call of commissioners, established that all commissioners were present and constituted a quorum, and stated that the commission would go into executive session to conduct interviews of the three candidates for the position of Director and Librarian.

Executive Session under the Open Meetings Act, Government Code §551.074, Personnel Matters: Deliberate on the search for and appointment of a Director and Librarian.

Chairman Wong called the commission into executive session at 8:04 a.m. to conduct interviews and deliberate on the search for and appointment of a Director and Librarian.  

At 2:54 p.m., Chairman Wong recessed the commission from executive session and called the commission into open session. For the record, Commissioner Iglesias departed the meeting at 2:30 p.m.

Chairman Wong thanked Mark Smith for assigning Sarah Swanson as the staff liaison to work with the commission on the search for a new Director and Librarian. She also thanked Vanessa Siordia for her guidance and making sure the commission followed state laws and rules and met all the requirements regarding personnel matters. She thanked Donna Osborne for her work on the process and noted and thanked former Commission Chairman Michael Waters for his guidance. She also thanked Tracy Lash for her work on the meetings as well as agency Directors for their input and participation in the process. 

Chairman Wong also thanked Vice Chair Givens and Commissioner Tocker for their work on the commission’s search committee for the new director, thanked the other commissioners for their trust and with their help in reaching a final decision. She also thanked Commissioner Iglesias who though recently appointed stepped in enthusiastically to participate in the process.

Finally, she thanked the three candidates for applying and going through the rigorous selection process that the commission put them through. She said the commission is unapologetic about how rigorous the process was because such a process was necessary to find the candidate to take the commission to the next level. 

Action item from Executive Session, if necessary: Appointment of the Director and Librarian.

Commissioner Tocker moved to appoint Gloria Meraz as the next Director and Librarian conditioned on Ms. Meraz satisfying the conditions of employment, as stated in the job requisition for the position, at a salary of $12,349.75 per month. Vice Chair Givens and Commissioner Tegeler seconded. Chairman Wong conducted a roll call vote which passed unanimously 6-0. 

Adjournment

Commissioner Mann moved to adjourn the meeting and Commissioner Tegeler seconded. Chairman Wong adjourned the meeting at 3:07 p.m.