Tuesday, December 9, 2008

 

 

Call to Order: The December meeting of the Board of Trustees was held at the Cooper Community Library branch in Oakwood. Board President Sue Derck called the meeting to order at 6:00 p.m.

 

Roll Call:  The following were present:  Board members: Sue Derck, Susie Thrasher, Michelle Stahl, Corey Walker and Terry Wehrkamp. Also in attendance was new board member Geoff Hyman.  Director Susan Pieper, Assistant Director Diana Coy, and Wilma Mullins, Fiscal Officer, were also present.

 

Citizen Participation:  Guest, Fred Pieper was in attendance to observe.

 

Minutes: The November 2008 updated & corrected minutes were distributed. Corey Walker moved to approve the minutes. Susie Thrasher seconded the motion. Motion passed.

 

Financial / Fiscal Officer: Motion to pay bills (Pay-X 012071-012124); (Finance 014212-014248) was made by Michelle Stahl and seconded by Terry Wehrkamp. Motion carried.

 

Fiscal Officer Additional Report: Mrs. Mullins informed the board that just prior to the evening’s meeting, she received word that the library’s 2008 Public Library Fund (PLF) distribution for December would be reduced by approximately $2,400. She noted that the board would have to pass another budget reduction resolution.

 

Resolution 08-1209 (Budget Reduction)
It is resolved that the Board of Trustees is reducing expenditures by $2,490.18 due to a decrease in State funding. The revenue amount reduction will be as follows:

100.01.41110 -- $2,490.18 (Public Library Fund – formerly State Income Tax)

The appropriation reduction will be as follows:

100.01.51140 -- $2,490.18 (Office & Clerical Salaries)

Passed via a roll-call vote in the affirmative: Susie Thrasher, Geoffrey Hyman, Corey Walker, Terry Wehrkamp, Michelle Stahl and Sue Derck.

 

Transfers: Susie Thrasher moved and Corey Walker seconded to approve the following transfers. Motion carried.

 

From                                                                      Amount                 To

100.01.51140 (Office & Clerical Salaries)     $20.00                   100.01.51120 (Professional Salaries)

100.01.51140 (Office & Clerical Salaries)     $20.00                   100.01.51160 (Service Workers)

100.01.51140 (Office & Clerical Salaries)     $500.00                 100.01.53340 (Grounds & Snow)

 

OLD BUSINESS

 

AED: Mr. Walker gave an update on the distribution of Automatic External Defibrillators (AED). Randy Shaffer, Paulding County Director of Homeland Security, will give the library four units. However, the units – although they do work – may be replaced by new units due to a recall. No action taken, information only.

 

1st Aid/CPR/AED Training: Michelle Stahl moved and Corey Walker seconded a motion to approve staff training at the Defiance Red Cross in 1st Aid/CPR/AED at a cost of approximately $50 per person. Motion passed. Mrs. Pieper will try to find funding for this event. Staff will carpool and the driver will be reimbursed mileage.

 

Director / Fiscal Officer Contracts:  Mrs. Pieper provided copies of her contract with the new amendments that had been approved at the November meeting. Mrs. Mullins was also prepared for her contract to be acted on. Since discussions are ongoing regarding a possible benefactor to keep hours the same, any contract action was tabled.

 

NEW BUSINESS

 

Donation Offer: Terry Wehrkamp informed the board that there was an anonymous donor who has offered to provide funding so that the library system could remain open regular hours for FY 2009. Michelle Stahl moved and Susie Thrasher seconded the motion to accept with gratitude, the generous gift from the anonymous benefactor – contingent upon discussions between the benefactor and the library’s fiscal officer, Wilma Mullins. (This gift would cover the reinstatement of employee hours so that all library locations would not have to take cuts in hours of operation. This gift would be for a one-year period, January-December 2009. The gift is not intended to restore any other budget cut line items, only employee hours/taxes/etc. so that library hours do not have to be reduced.) Motion passed.

 

Polaris Quote:  Michelle Stahl moved and Terry Wehrkamp seconded the motion to approve a quote from Polaris to upgrade RAM and licenses for the library’s circulation system at a cost of $1,880. Motion passed.

 

Pritchard Building: Mrs. Pieper informed the board that the library would be purchasing paint for the painting of the next-door building. The school staff would take care of the labor. The paint will cost about $250. No action taken, information only.

 

Correspondence to Director: Mrs. Pieper shared an e-mail she received from a patron regarding the budget cuts. This patron felt that the library should only carry books and movies and not computers, fax machines, copiers, etc. The director answered the patron with information about the increased use of today’s library. No action taken, information only.

 

Adjournment:  Corey Walker moved and Michelle Stahl seconded the motion to adjourn at 7:00. The board then joined the staff for a beautiful evening of food and fellowship at the staff Christmas party. The lovely library, festive decorations, delicious appetizers and main dinner, and exquisitely decorated tables awed everyone. The next board meeting is scheduled for January 20th, 2009 at 6:00 p.m. at the main library in Paulding, unless otherwise announced.

 

________________________________                    ______________________________

Michelle Stahl, Board Secretary                                 Sue Derck, Board President

MS:snp

 

ACTION PLAN:

·         Susan Pieper: investigate local grants to help defray costs for CPR training for staff

·         Terry Wehrkamp: Contact anonymous benefactor and ask them to meet/talk with Wilma Mullins to work out details of the generous gift

·         Wilma Mullins: Contact board and director immediately after numbers are finalized so that the staff, patrons and media can be notified about library hours, etc.