Bryan-Bennett Library

January 18, 2022

Minutes

Bryan-Bennett Library Board of Trustees Meeting

January 18, 2022, 6:30 p.m. in the Board Room

Call to Order and Roll Call of Trustees

Board President Jane Gaston called to order the January 18, 2022, meeting of the Bryan-Bennett Library Board of Trustees at 6:34 p.m. Trustees present were: Ed Dolbeare, Jane Gaston, Gary Hahn, Lynn Larimer, Jack McGuire, Joyce Raver, and Gayla Wilkerson. Also present was Library Director Kim Keller. Trustees Tom Champion and Ann Wilzbach were absent. Trustee Lynn Larimer entered the meeting at 6:47 p.m.

Secretary’s Report

Minutes of the Board’s November 16, 2021, meeting were reviewed. Trustee McGuire made a motion to approve the minutes. Trustee Wilkerson seconded the motion. Motion carried.

Treasurer’s Report

Payment of January Bills. The Board reviewed the January bills, which totaled $14,858.45. Trustee Hahn made a motion to the pay the bills. Trustee Raver seconded the motion. Upon a roll call vote, motion carried.

Financial Report for December 2021 and January 2022. The report including a breakdown of the Voices and Votes expenses, was reviewed. President Gaston asked that several corrections be made to the Voices and Votes report. President Gaston questioned an additional payroll check to the City. This check reimbursed the City for wages paid to 2 employees from August to November 2021. The City had not billed the Library for those wages until December. President Gaston stated that all payroll invoices should be double checked. President Gaston instructed the Library Director to add a line to the revenue page in the monthly Financial Report. The line would be for the Tourism Grant that went toward Voices and Votes.

It was noted that the new assistant director’s printer, an acquisition authorized in October, has not occurred. Director Keller stated that the Board’s instruction was to purchase a laser printer for $300 or less. It has been a problem to find a laser printer for anything under $300. Trustee Wilkerson volunteered to help with the acquisition and installation of the printer and a new keyboard for the assistant director.

A motion to approve the Finance Report, with corrections, was made by Trustee Wilkerson. Trustee Hahn seconded the motion, which was approved by roll call vote.

New Business

  1. Regular Board meeting date affirmed. A motion was made by Trustee Hahn that the Library Board would continue to meet on the third Tuesday of a month at 6:30 p.m. at the Library, with the exception of December when the Board does not meet. With a second by Trustee McGuire, the motion carried.
  2. Decision regarding keeping closed session minutes closed or opening the minutes to the public. This consideration is required by law twice a year. Motion by Trustee McGuire to keep all closed session minutes closed. With a second by Trustee Wilkerson, the motion carried.

Unfinished Business

  1. Updates to Library Personnel Policy. The Board tabled discussion about updates to the Personnel Policy.
  2. Updates to Board Bylaws. Board members reviewed the existing bylaws, identifying the following changes that should be made:
  • The Library Director will present the annual Library report in May.
  • Under duties of officers, the Board President/Ethics Officer shall be the designated spokesperson for the Board of Library Trustees in all advisory, or disciplinary, action directed to the staff.
  • Any Board member who is unable to attend should call the Library or the Board President, ahead of the meeting.
  • Under Administrative Records, the last sentence of the second paragraph, dealing with the incapacitation of the library director, was deleted.
  • Under Circulation Records, the Board of Trustees was added to the list of those individuals who have access to circulation records.
  1. Proposed Board Succession Plan. The Board reviewed a draft of a Library Board succession plan. Because the plan was basically parliamentary procedure, a consensus of the Board advocated that a simple statement admitted to the minutes would suffice for procedural precedent. A motion was made by Trustee McGuire, with a second by Trustee Larimer, that the Board succession plan will follow Robert’s Rules of Order. The motion carried.

Library Director’s Report

Director Keller reported to the Board that it’s been difficult to find a laser printer for the assistant director within the $300 budget set by the Board. Keller told the Board that the assistant director’s computer may need to be replaced when the platform that is used for cataloging is upgraded later this year. The assistant director’s computer was purchased almost 10 years ago, as part of a reimbursement program by the former Shawnee Library System when it merged with other systems to become Illinois Heartland. President Gaston stated that she would like to see the assistant director’s malfunctioning keyboard and printer replaced, before replacing the entire unit. She wanted to see if those changes solved the machine’s problems.

Following up Board questions from the November meeting, Director Keller reported that the city attorney explained there is no requirement mandating a written contract when independent contractors are used. A consensus of the Board was that no changes were necessary, at this time, to an existing arrangement.

Director Keller reported that Michael Crooks of Jacksonville, Florida, sent the Library a $200 donation. He sent the check as a thank you for the good service that his family received when he lived in Salem years ago.

Director Keller reported the following updates on grants:

  • The final report for the Humanities Grant that provided the Voices and Votes display was filed.
  • The first form of the Fiscal Year 2022 E-Rate Grant was submitted.
  • The final form for the Fiscal Year 2020 E-Rate Grant was submitted.
  • The Per Capita Grant application will be submitted in the next couple of weeks.

The director noted that one employee had been absent on Covid quarantine. That employee has since returned to work.

Another employee was out for a week for a non-Covid illness. That employee turned in a physician’s release when returning to work.

The Director shared with the Board a letter from Vicky Stevens of the Friends of the Library organization. Ms. Stevens’ letter updated the Board about the organizations’ procedures during the past 2 years.

Board Member’s Reports

Trustee Gayla Wilkerson asked that Board packets be distributed digitally 3 p.m. on the Friday before a Board meeting. The hard copy of the packet should be available at the Circulation Desk by this time. Board members agreed.

Board President Gaston asked the Personnel Committee to meet prior to the full Board’s February 15 meeting to discuss staff salaries. Ms. Gaston also instructed the Library Director to place a closed session on the February meeting agenda to discuss personnel.

Ms. Gaston noted that other Libraries had received grants from the American Rescue Act that provided for internet hot spots and improvements to HVAC systems. She asked the director to call the Secretary of State’s office and check into getting a grant for part of the cost of the Bryan-Bennett HVAC replacement.

Trustee Hahn was asked to check into getting an architect to oversee the roof replacement over the main circulation area of the Library and the Exhibit Hall.

President Gaston asked the Library Director to check into getting Covid self-tests to make available when staff return from quarantine.

 

Adjournment

The meeting adjourned at 8:05 p.m.

Respectfully submitted by,

 

Kim Keller

Library Director