Library employee receives top honor — Jennifer Sweeten has been working at the Lantana Public Library for less than a year but has made a big and wonderful impression on colleagues and regulars at the library.
Sweeten, who transferred from the town’s Development Services Department in February, was named the town’s Employee of the Year and received a plaque marking the occasion at the Dec. 9 Town Council meeting.
Never before has a library staff member become Lantana’s Employee of the Year — and no one could have been prouder to make that announcement than Library Director Kristine Kreidler. “She is one of the best, if not the best, customer service and problem-solving employees I have ever worked with,” Kreidler said. “She saved us during our summer reading program, as our statistics have continued to grow exponentially and the flow of traffic increases month over month. I don’t know how we would’ve done it without her.”
Kreidler called Sweeten a genuinely caring person “and everyone she interacts with walks away knowing Jen cares about them, illustrating a rare native emotional intelligence. One of our older patrons even asked Jen to be her power of attorney.”
Working in a public library in a community like Lantana means “you are part social worker, part mediator, part teacher, part tutor, part crime prevention, part mentor, part party planner, part friend, part community activist, part mom, part dad, and on and on. Jen wears them well,” Kreidler said.
Vote on Kmart development delayed — A special Town Council meeting was held on Dec. 10 to vote on amending the comprehensive plan to allow a change in the density from 15 to 25 dwellings per acre at Lantana Village (the former Kmart site), but voting was postponed until 5:30 p.m. Jan. 9.
Mayor Karen Lythgoe said the reason for the delay was that Town Attorney Max Lohman could not attend and the town needed a little more time to smooth out the details.
Since the December meeting had been advertised, town officials needed to convene, but a presentation on the development plans was not given. Public comment was allowed, but without having seen the PowerPoint, residents opted to wait until the next special meeting to make their comments.
— Mary Thurwachter
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