A former assistant law librarian has been rehired after she was offered and took an early retirement incentive offered last year which totaled $32,723.64.

Mary J. Taylor was hired by the Clinton County Law Library Resources Board, but not by a unanimous decision. The board voted 3-2 to rehire Taylor, according to Mark Brooker, resources board chair. Taylor will work part-time, Tuesday through Thursday.

Taylor declined to comment when contacted Thursday night.

Judy Gano was recently employed by the library resources board as the law librarian.

While the library is no longer funded from the county’s general fund, commissioners approved $26,778 for the law library board, part of which will pay Taylor’s salary. Commissioners voted 2-1, with Mike Curry and Randy Riley voting yes and David Strewart casting a no vote. “I don’t think it’s good public policy to pay an incentive for retirement and then to hire the person back,” Stewart said. “There’s plenty of people without work.”

According to the House Bill, commissioners do not have any role in employee decision-making. The library resources board makes all employee decisions.

In a letter to county commissioners, dated Nov. 18, 2009, Taylor said, “Judy and I both have indicated to Mark Brooker, chairman of the new board, that we are interested in continuing our service with the new board. I have taken the ERI (Early Retirement Incentive) and will be retiring in January, but have told Mark I would like to return part-time with the resources board.”

The Clinton County Bar Association approved a resolution on March 5 supporting the library board’s decision to hire Gano as librarian and Taylor as a part-time assistant.

According to Taylor’s buyout statement, she received one payment of $32,723.64 on Dec. 31, 2009. The total buyout included salary and health care costs for the period she would have worked. The buyout was for a period of two years.

The library resources board was created following passage of House Bill 420 which went into effect Dec. 30, 2008. Operation of the library is funded by mandated fees and costs from the courts. The board submits their budget to commissioners.

Beginning in January, operation of the law library was turned over to the resources board and the Clinton County Law Library Association was desolved.

The Clinton County Law Library Resources Board is mandated to be part of a statewide corsortium of boards.

Members of the Clinton County Law Library Resources board in addition to Brooker are Laura Curliss, president of the county bar association; Inza Johnson-Hebb, an attorney appointed by the county library association; Brian Shidaker, assistant prosecutor, appointed by Prosecutor Rick Moyer; Gordon L. Rose, attorney, appointed by Municipal Curt Judge Chad Carey; Lauren Raizk, attorney, appointed by Common Pleas Court Judge John W. Rudduck; and Marla Stewart, appointed by commissioners.