Beecher Library Board Elects New Leadership Following Trustee’s Resignation

Beecher Public Library District Meeting | September 16, 2025

Article Summary: The Beecher Public Library District Board has a new leadership team after electing Douglas Short as president and Rick Kerber as secretary. The change comes after the board accepted the resignation of Trustee Shirley Biery, who will be honored at a public open house in October for her service.

Library Board Leadership Key Points:

• Douglas Short was elected as the new board president for the remainder of a two-year term.

• Rick Kerber was elected to serve as the new board secretary.

• The elections followed the board’s acceptance of Trustee Shirley Biery’s resignation.

• A public open house to honor Shirley Biery is scheduled for October 19 from 2-4 p.m.

The Beecher Public Library District board has appointed new leadership, electing a new president and secretary during its meeting on Tuesday, September 16, 2025. The board selected Douglas Short to serve as president and Rick Kerber as secretary for the remainder of a two-year term.

The leadership change was prompted by the resignation of Trustee Shirley Biery. During the meeting, Short was nominated for president by Shelia Oppenhuis and seconded by Lance Saller. Kerber was nominated for the secretary position by Beverly Wehling and seconded by Short. Both nominations passed with unanimous support from all board members present, including Kerber, Oppenhuis, Saller, Short, and Wehling. As part of the transition, both Short and Kerber will be added as signatories for library checks.

The board formally received and accepted the resignation of Shirley Biery. In recognition of her service to the library, the board is planning a public open house in her honor. The event is scheduled for Saturday, October 19, from 2-4 p.m. According to the meeting minutes, a committee is planning the event, where Biery will be presented with a plaque. A duplicate plaque will be created for the library, and Short will investigate finding a suitable location on the property to plant a tree in her honor.

Following the leadership changes and resignation, the board went into a closed executive session to discuss finding replacements for two open board member positions. No action was taken following the session.

The board’s next regular meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, October 21, at 7:00 p.m.