Roll Call: The following were present: Board members: Susie Thrasher, Michelle
Stahl, Corey Walker, Terry Wehrkamp, and Geoff Hyman. Director Susan Pieper, Assistant Director
Diana Coy, and Wilma Mullins, Fiscal Officer, were also present. Board
president Sue Derck was absent due to illness. Staff member Heather Hunt was
present to observe the meeting.
Financial
/ Fiscal Officer:
Motion to pay bills (Pay-X 012127-012181); (Finance 014249-014295) was made by
Corey Walker and seconded by Susie Thrasher. Motion carried.
Reorganization of the Board: Corey
Walker moved to retain the current slate of Board officers – Sue Derck,
President; Terry Wehrkamp, Vice-President; Michelle Stahl, Secretary. Susie
Thrasher revised the motion that the slate of nominees be closed and seconded
the motion. Motion passed.
Executive Session:
Michelle Stahl moved and Susie Thrasher seconded that the board adjourn to
executive session to discuss personnel issues. After an affirmative roll call
vote, the board moved into executive session at 6:15 p.m. At 6:32 the board
returned back into regular session.
Evaluations: Corey
Walker moved that the board delay the evaluations of the director and fiscal
officer until March. Michelle Stahl seconded the motion. Motion passed.
Appointment of special committees (Tabled
until February meeting)
Reappointment
of Wilma Mullins as Fiscal Officer: Corey Walker moved and Geoff Hyman seconded to reappoint
Wilma Mullins as Fiscal Officer for 2009. Motion passed.
Executive Session:
At 6:45, Michelle Stahl moved and Susie Thrasher seconded that the board
adjourn to executive session to discuss the contract of the fiscal officer. The
board returned to regular session at 6:50 p.m.
Fiscal Officer Contract:
Michelle Stahl moved and Susie Thrasher seconded the motion to approve the
Fiscal Officer’s contract based on negotiated changes. Motion passed.
New Revenue Accounts: Michelle Stahl moved and Corey Walker
seconded to approve the following new revenue accounts: DVD Circ Fee –
100.01.43120; and ILL Fee – 100.01.43199. Motion passed.
2009
Appropriations Resolution # 09-0120
Be it resolved by the Board of Library
Trustees of the Paulding County Carnegie Library, Paulding County, Ohio, that
to provide for the current expenses and other expenditures of said Board of
Library Trustees, during the fiscal year, ending December 31st,
2009, the sums as presented by the fiscal officer on the Annual Appropriation
Resolution be set aside and appropriated for the several purposes for which
expenditures are to be made for and during said fiscal year.
Motion to adopt the Appropriations Resolution
was made by Corey Walker and seconded by Michelle Stahl. The motion passed with
a unanimous roll-call vote in the affirmative.
FY
2009 Bills: Susie Thrasher
moved and Geoff Hyman seconded to approve payment of all regular and normal
monthly bills for fiscal year 2009. Motion passed.
Board Members Comments: Mr. Hyman shared concerns and comments about the following: Donation of
newspapers by patrons to library locations, the use of a collection agency for
overdue fines and fees, and the formation of a Friends of the Library group for
the main library. The boards discussed each issue and suggested that the
director work to find key community personnel to head up a Friends group and
publicized and thank those patrons who offer free subscriptions to magazines
and newspapers to the library. The board also discussed the next-door property
owned by the library and was informed that the costs of repairs to the building
do not – at this time – exceed the income from rental.
OLD BUSINESS
Donation Discussion: The board discussed the generous
donation that was made to pay the costs for employees to be brought up to full
hours so that library location hours would not have to be cut. The board will
work with the fiscal officer to keep track of all personnel wage expenses. The
board will keep the library open regular hours as long as the donation lasts.
No action taken.
Additional Benefactor Request: Mr. Wehrkamp informed the board
and administration that the library’s benefactor is willing to consider
donating enough funds for additional hours to be added to all library
locations. The board directed Mrs. Pieper, Mrs. Mullins and Mrs. Coy to come up
with comprehensive costs (including all personnel wage costs, utilities, etc.)
for increasing hours by 5 and 8 per week at each location.
Revisions of Personnel Manual: The board discussed changes in
the personnel manual, pages 3-19. Most of the changes will be minor wording
changes and clarification. Each board member will create a list of suggested
revisions and send them to Mrs. Pieper, who will compile them and distribute
them for February’s board meeting.
Health
Insurance: Due to the non-reduction of hours, Michelle Stahl
moved and Corey Walker seconded that the board will pay 90% of single health
insurance coverage for those employees working 35 hours or more per week.
Motion passed.
ALA
Annual Conference – Chicago: Michelle Stahl moved and
Susie Thrasher seconded to approve hotel and meal expenses for Mrs. Pieper to
attend the ALA conference, not to exceed $1,240. Mrs. Pieper will be covering
the cost of her transportation and any other expense not covered by the board.
Motion passed.
1st Aid/CPR/AED Training: The board directed Mrs. Pieper to hire Con Shuherk to conduct training
for the staff. Mr. Shuherk has offered to provide the training at a cost to
only cover materials. Mrs. Pieper will
contact Mr. Shuherk to coordinate system-wide training. The AED units will then
be distributed to each library location.
E-Rate Update: Mrs. Pieper provided an update
of the E-Rate process that will give discounted telecommunication rates for the
library.
NEW BUSINESS
Holiday Schedule
2009: Michelle Stahl
moved and Corey Walker seconded the motion to approve the following holidays
for 2009. Motion passed.
January 19 Martin
Luther King, Jr. Birthday
February 16 President’s
Day
April 10 Good
Friday (Close at noon)
May 25 Memorial
Day
July 4 Independence
Day
September 7 Labor
Day
October 12 Columbus
Day
November
11 Veteran’s Day
November
26 Thanksgiving
Day
December
24, 25 Christmas
Eve Day and Christmas Day
December 31 New
Year’s Eve Day (Thursday)
January 1, 2010 New Year’s Day (Friday)
Board Bylaws Revisions: Mrs. Pieper distributed copies of
the Board of Trustees Bylaws with minor changes made regarding wording. The
board decided to table this issue until a further date so that they might
consider additional revisions.
Library Levy: The board briefly discussed the levy and decided to table any decision
or further discussion until a later date.
DVD Fee Discussion: Mrs. Pieper brought to the board three specific requests from patrons
regarding options for patrons to borrow DVDs. The board decided that no action
would be taken and the current policy of charging .50 per DVD would remain in
effect.
Bequest: Mrs. Pieper informed the Board
that the library had received a $5,000 gift from the Dorothy Dean Riggenbach
Revocable Trust. Since there was no stated designation by the donor, the
Director requested the funds be put in the books budget, with the stipulation
that the funds can be transferred out of that account later if the board so
decides.
Director
Travels: Mrs. Pieper informed the board that she will be
attending the ALA Midwinter Conference from January 24-28 in Denver, Colorado.
She is an elected member of the ALA council and has to attend meetings. She
will also be attending the PLA Executive Board Meeting on April 29-30 in
Chicago. There will be no cost involved for this meeting.
Vehicles
Parked on Library Property: The board discussed the issue
of dozens of new cars being parked on library property without permission. After
contact with the County Prosecutor and his telephone call to the dealership, the
vehicles were removed.
Rural
Newsletter: The board shared their concern and expressed their
disappointment with the director about the subject matter addressed in the
latest newsletter. Concerns were based on potential perceptions by the public
of donations, perceptions by the staff on the subject of branch relations and
the discussion of evaluations for a director. The director reminded the board
that the newsletter addresses current concerns, trends, issues
and challenges facing rural library staff and that she pulls information many
times from her own experience. The newsletter’s target audience is rural
library staff and is not and never has been intended for the general public. However,
she assured the board that she would be diligent in using better judgment in
future issues and apologized for the embarrassment and position she has placed
the board.
Adjournment: Michelle Stahl moved and Corey Walker
seconded the motion to adjourn at 10:15 p.m. The next board meeting is
scheduled for February 26th, 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