Cleveland Heights-University Heights Libraries Appoints New Board Member, President

CLEVELAND HEIGHTS, OH - Cleveland Heights-University Heights Libraries have a new board member. Maximilian G. Gerboc. His term will begin in January 2016. He replaces outgoing board member Rick Ortmeyer.

Gerboc has lived in Cleveland Heights for the past three years. He went to Oberlin College and graduated from that institution in 2008. He now works for the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Local 1, where he is in charge of contract negotiations.

“I think the public library is the backbone of community engagement, education, free speech, and democracy,” he said in a statement. “I believe the library is an absolute good, a major net positive for the citizens it serves. Whether for education, pleasure, or just a safe space, the public library offers itself, across socio-economic, racial, gender, and religious boundaries, as a beacon of civility and enlightenment in the community.”

As for the outgoing board member, Ortmeyer served as the board president and oversaw a successful 2014 levy campaign. The new board president will be Ron Holland, who previously served as vice president and chair of the operations committee.

Ortmeyer departs the board at the end of Dec. 2016.

“As an architect, I’ve been lucky to work on library projects regionally and nationally, and have seen the important work librarians do in communities everywhere, providing equal access to opportunity and resources. A little over five years ago I met Nancy Levin through mutual friends, and learned about an opening on the board. It felt like an ideal way to contribute something meaningful to my home community while also advocating for the community of librarians, from whom I have learned so much," Ortmeyer said in a statement.

Photo from Cleveland Heights-University Heights Libraries