Bryan-Bennett Library

Regular Board Meeting Minutes

November 16, 2021

Call to order

President Jane Gaston called the regular monthly library board meeting to order at 6:21 pm with the following trustees present: Tom Champion, Ed Dolbeare, Jane Gaston, Jack McGuire, Joyce Raver, Gayla Wilkerson, and Ann Wilzbach. Trusteess Gary Hahn and Lynn Larimer were absent. Also in attendance were Library Director Kim Keller and Assistant Library Director Kim Baldridge. There were no visitors.

Secretary’s Report

The minutes of the October 2021 meeting were approved as presented on a motion by Trustee Dolbeare with a second by Trustee Wilkerson. All present agreed.

The minutes of the November 9, 2021 whole board workshop was approved as presented on a motion by Trustee Wilkerson with a second by Trustee Raver. All present agreed.

Treasurer’s Report

The bills for November 2021 totaling $17,727.98 were examined and approved on a motion by Trustee McGuire with a second by Trustee Champion. All present voted “yes” on roll call.

The treasurer’s report for November 2021 was presented. A motion to approve the treasurer’s report with Director Keller to recheck the Voices and Votes numbers was made by Trustee McGuire with a second by Trustee Wilzbach. All present voted “yes” on roll call.

The asset report was approved as presented on a motion by Trustee Champion with a second by Trustee McGuire. All present voted “yes” on roll call.

President Gaston instructed Director Keller to post the $5000.00 funds transfer on the next financial report as an expense and to record all in-coming checks on the date they arrive, not the date they are deposited.

Committee Reports

No reports at this time.

New Business

1. Staff Christmas Gift A motion to approve the staff Christmas gifts in the form of a gift certificate in the amount of $50 for employees with more than one year of service and $25 for employees with less than one year of service, the total for this would be $300, to be posted under the Misc. line item was made by Trustee Wilkerson with a second by Trustee McGuire. All present voted “yes” on roll call.
2. Report, Recommendation concerning Audit-Trustees Wilkerson and Gaston met with City Finance Director Barrow and City Manager Barbee to discuss the audit findings concerning the library. Currently the library uses an outdated Quickbooks program that requires Finance Director Barrow to hand enter every transaction the library does long after the fact and adapt it to the program the City uses. Trustee Wilkerson recommends updating the library’s Quickbooks program to Quickbooks On-line. Up to 5 people can be authorized to use it. It will give Finance Director Barrow access to the reports she needs in a more timely fashion. She will not have the ability to change any entries but will be able to advise the Library staff on an up-to-date basis should the need arise. This program will also have the capability to print all reports needed thus eliminating the need for composing reports on an Excel spreadsheet. The cost of the On-line Quickbooks program should be about $40 per month. Finance Director Barrow will contact Library Director Keller about making the transition and working out the details of its use. Trustee Wilkerson will also be available on purchase and installation day.

Trustee Wilkerson also noted that the auditors are insisting that all mileage expenses be initialed by a board member and as the board treasurer she will make sure this is being done.

City Manager Barbee is recommending that the library use H & H Computers located in Centralia for future updates on the patron computers. This is who the city uses and they offer good service at reasonable prices. He also recommended that the library apply for a Gates Grant the next time an opportunity arises.

Finance Director Barrow requests that upcoming library budgets be approved by the library board by April 1. This will enable her to incorporate the library’s budget into the city-wide budget in a more timely and accurate fashion. President Gaston requested that Director Keller have the first draft of the budget presented to the board in February. Director Keller has been presenting the first draft of the budget in February for the last few years and will continue to do so.

President Gaston and Trustee Wilkerson request that Director Keller meet with Finance Director Barrow on estimating the IMRF levies. The IMRF year runs from January through December, not through the city’s fiscal year of May through April.

1. Library Hours of Operation-After a brief discussion on library hours, a motion was made by Trustee Champion with a second by Trustee McGuire to change the hours to Monday through Thursday 10am to 7 pm, Friday & Saturday 9 am to 2 pm. All present agreed.
2. Proposed updates to Personnel Policy-Director Keller presented the board with the updated personnel policy manual. The board will examine the updated manual at their leisure and discuss it again at the January meeting.
3. Proposed Library Board Succession Plan-Tabled until January.
4. Updates to Library Board Bylaws-Tabled until January
5. Assistant Director Printer-Trustee Champion is going to Centralia tomorrow and he will check out printers at H & H Computers. If they have one that meets the criteria set in the October board meeting he will authorize H & H Computers to deliver and install a printer.
6. Per Capita Grant Application-Director Keller reviewed the following chapters with the board and explained how they pertained to the library: Chapter 7 with Appendix H and Appendix I, Chapters 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, and 13.

Unfinished Business

No unfinished business at this time.

Director’s Report

The library’s third distribution of property taxes in the amount of $36,381.62 should be arriving soon.

Ameren repaired the light on the corner of Church and Maple today.

The dumpster has not been emptied since the last weekend of October. At some point during the week of November 4, an unknown person dumped private trash in the library’s dumpster. Director Keller has informed the company that they have not been emptying our dumpster and has talked about the situation with the City Manager.

Early in November, Livesay repaired a light on the west side of the building.

Booher’s have looked at the equipment to find the source of the “sweating” issue. Director Keller will follow-up with them later this week.

Illinois Heartland’s circulation consortium, SHARE, has made a mobile app available. It can be downloaded from Google Play Store of the App Store. Patrons will be able to search the online catalog through this app.

BBL had 43 families register for the Adopt a Family program

Library staff underwent sexual harassment prevention training on November 10. The training video was provided by the City’s insurance company. Also a brief staff meeting was held immediately after this training. Circulation issues were discussed at this meeting.

Board Members’ Reports

No reports or comments at this time.

Adjournment

A motion to adjourn the meeting was made by Trustee Champion with a second by Trustee McGuire. All present agreed. The meeting adjourned at 7:55 pm.

Respectfully submitted, Ann Wilzbach                                                                                                                                                              BBL Board Secretary