Members of the Park Ridge Public Library Board voted this month to approve a pay raise for the library’s executive director, who marked her second year in the position this spring.
The board, meeting virtually on Sept. 15, approved a $3,000 raise for Heidi Smith, increasing her annual salary from $115,000 to $118,000.
No public discussion regarding the pay raise took place and trustees did not indicate how they determined the amount. The motion itself was voted upon as part of the library board’s consent agenda, which contained several other action items.
Smith’s performance and compensation were discussed in closed session by the board during a Sept. 8 committee meeting, minutes from the meeting indicate.
Library Board President Lauren Rapisand declined to comment on how the board determined the amount of the raise, saying that it was deliberated in closed session.
The raise will be retroactive to Aug. 1, she said.
The additional compensation approved for Smith is lower than what was approved last year. In April 2019, the board voted to grant Smith a raise of $5,000, plus a one-time bonus of $1,000.
At that time, former Board President Michael Reardon noted Smith’s management of the library’s interior renovation when discussing the raise.
Smith was hired by the library board as the library’s top administrator in March 2018. She had previously worked as assistant director of the Waukegan Public Library.
Twitter: @Jen_Tribune
