Bryan-Bennett Library

November 19, 2019

Bryan-Bennett Library

Regular Board Meeting Minutes

November 19, 2019

Call to order

President Jane Gaston called the regular monthly board meeting to order at 6:30 PM with the following trustees present: Tom Champion, Ed Dolbeare, Jane Gaston, Lynn Larimer, Jack McGuire, Joyce Raver, and Gayla Wilkerson. Also in attendance were Library Director Kim Keller and Assistant Library Director Kim Baldridge. There were no visitors. Trustees Jane Mordecai and Ann Wilzbach were absent.

Secretary’s Report

The minutes of the September 2019 meeting were approved with the following change: page 3, first paragraph, last word on second line change from “she” to “we” on a motion by Trustee Wilkerson with a second by Trustee Champion. All present voted “yes” on roll call.

Treasurer’s Report

The financial report for November 2019 was approved as presented on a motion by Trustee McGuire with a second by Trustee Larimer. All present voted “yes” on roll call.

The bills for November 2019 totaling $32,040.95 were examined and approved on a motion by Trustee Larimer with a second by Trustee McGuire. All present voted “yes” on roll call.

Director Keller requested that a bill from Lazerware that had arrived late that same day be approved for payment. A motion to approve the Lazerware bill in the amount of $1,109.72 was made by Trustee Wilkerson with a second by Trustee Champion. All present voted “yes” on roll call. Check number 12308 was written to cover this expense (Equipment Maintenance (214-00): Lazerware).

Committee Reports

The Building and Grounds Committee was the only committee reporting this month. Trustee Raver reported that the boulder that had been purchased with memorial funds in honor of Jim Raver has been installed in front of the flagpole.

New Business

  1. Schedule for full board meetings and financial workshops-A motion to hold full board meetings every month except in December was made by Trustee Raver with a second by Trustee Larimer. All present agreed. The Board is leaving it up to the Finance Committee to decide on the workshops.
  2. Staff Christmas gift-A motion to give employees who have less than one year of service a gift card in the amount of $25 and to give employees with over one year of service a gift card in the amount of $50 was made by Trustee Wilkerson with a second by Trustee McGuire. All present voted “yes” on roll call.
  3. Bid to install light on the outside of the Library’s West side-Director Keller presented a bid from Livesay Electric Service, Inc. in the amount of $438.92 for a LED wall pack on the West side of the building/North side of the entrance. A motion to accept the bid from Livesay Electric Service, Inc. was made by Trustee Raver with a second by Trustee McGuire. All present voted “yes” on roll call.
  4. Room Use Policy-Director Keller presented a revised room use policy. The policy was discussed and another revision was made. No action was taken.
  5. Cookie Rally in gym-Director Keller received a request from the Girls Scouts to use the gym for their annual Cookie Rally on January 4, 2020. Director Keller is seeking approval of waiving the rental fee for this event. All present agreed to the waiver.
  6. Designation of surplus library property and instructions for disposal-Director Keller presented a list of items that are surplus, due in part to the installation of new shelves, for the library board’s approval. She was seeking their guidance on disposal of such items. After a reading of the list, all present agreed that the items be declared surplus. They advised Director Keller to seek bids on the items for a period of one week before accepting any offers and to utilize Face Book and the library’s website for advertising the items.

Unfinished Business

  1. Per Capita Grant Application-Director Keller and the library board reviewed observations from Serving Our Public 3.0, Chapter 3: Personnel and reviewed the check list from the end of the chapter. They also reviewed observations from Chapters 11-14 of Trustee Fact Files 3rd or 4th

Director’s Report

The library has received its 3rd distribution of property taxes. The money was deposited in November and will be posted on the Asset Report for December/January.

The City’s levy for taxes payable in 2020 have the following Library revenue: $133,867; Library Building, $17,852;Library Social Security, $8,899. The library does not levy a separate amount for the Library for IMRF. The IMRF allocation from the City to the Library is taken out of the overall City Levy for IMRF, which is $194,752. The City’s total levy is for $1,883,150. Tax caps will be applied when the levy gets to the County.

Work on the Library Construction Grant will take place over the next 3 weeks. It is due in January. Following up on a question from Board President Gaston, the State Construction Grant cannot be used to purchase electronics like a white board, smart television, projector, or sound system. The Grant can be used to fund the installation of wiring for such systems. Director Keller will add the wiring into the grant application.

Local engineer Gary Hahn has asked for use of the gym in February for the annual Math Counts event sponsored by his engineer’s association. They will pay the rental fee. After a brief discussion on the event, the board agreed to waive the insurance waiver for this event.

Director Keller is working on an application to bring a Smithsonian coordinated exhibit to the Library. Voices and Votes: Democracy in America is the newest Museum on Main Street exhibition from the Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service and Illinois Humanities. The display would be for 6 weeks in the gym. This exhibition will visit just 6 communities in Illinois with populations under 25,000 between April 2020 and January 2021. Hopefully, Bryan-Bennett will be selected as one of them.

The library will participate in a promotion coordinated by the Salem Chamber called “Charlie the Chamber Elf”. The public will be given clues as to where Charlie is located on a certain day and go to that place to enter a drawing. Cost to the library to participate is a $15 card gift card. The library’s date for Charlie’s visit is yet to be determined.

On November 22 from 9 to 2, the library will be the site of a Medicare D Open Enrollment Event. Those interested should bring their Medicare Cards, a picture identification and the list of medicines they take.

On November 21 the library will host its annual Family Reading Night. The event will include displays by collectors, an art exhibit, local authors signing their books, a book walk and local school children reading to visitors. The Library will give away book bags to families and stuffed reading buddies to youth.

Program Director Shanafelt has set up a visit from Santa on December 3 at 4 to 6 pm. Children will also be able make a packet of hot coco to take home and a Christmas card.

A Senior Holiday Reception hosted by the Library will be held on December 12. The Rusty Strings Dulcimers will entertain from 1 to 2 pm. Young musicians Sarah and Ada Oziemkiewicz will perform from 2 to 3 pm.

A special Story Time for grandparents and grandchildren will be held at 10 am on December 28.

The Library will once again make the gym available for those adults wishing to walk on Tuesdays and Fridays from 11:30 am to 1 pm starting November 22 through the end of December.

Program Director Shanafelt is working with retired SCHS art teacher Ken Brewer to schedule a special sketching class for children grades 3 to 6.She is also working with Marion County Genealogy Society Treasurer Bob Lybarger to set up a book signing with his son, Tim Lybarger. Tim co-authored the book entitled Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood: a visual history.

Program Director Shanafelt is working to schedule a BINGO afternoon and evening for young people. Starting November 22 and throughout December, very young children will be allowed to bring in their tricycles and ride them in the gym from 10 am to 11:30 am. Older children will be provided with board games to play in the gym from 10 am to 11:30 am during December.

Another LEGOS program has been scheduled for 11 am on December 21.

During discussion of programs in general, President Gaston would like to see Story Times moved to 11 am in order to accommodate Pre-K pupils at Franklin Park. Trustee Wilkerson volunteered to take flyers to Franklin Park announcing any programs for children that the library may hold.

The Friends of the Bryan-Bennett Library (FOBBL) are having a $2 bag sale during the month of November. There is a limit of 1 bag.

The computer at the handicapped-accessible station at the Circulation Desk failed. The cost of replacement was covered under a warranty and Lazerware replaced it a no charge.

New Custodian Bryan Magnon discovered that the leaf blower was broken. It has been repaired by Rural King and Custodian Magon is in the process of catching up with a couple of months of work on the grounds.

Library staff did a major weeding of the Large Print and Reference section. Staff also installed the new shelving for the Large Print section and moved the Genealogy Section to the Reference Room. Several areas of the library received a change of bookshelves and well as a major clean and straightening. Director Keller commends all employees on this very large task being accomplished so quickly.

Board Members’ Reports

President Gaston has noted that the public-use computers are getting old and out-dated. She suggests that Director Keller research other libraries and come up with a plan to replace.

Closed Session under 5 ILCS 120/2 C 1 and 2-Personnel-Director’s Evaluation-A motion to go into close session was made by Trustee Champion with a second by Trustee Wilkerson. All present agreed. Close session began at 8:12 pm.

A motion to return to open session was made by Trustee Champion with a second by Trustee Larimer. Open session began again at 9: 10 pm.

A motion to have the Personnel Committee compose the Director’s Evaluation, taking into account the discussion during close session, and to have the Personnel Committee Chairperson forward the final evaluation to the rest of the board and to have the Personnel Committee Chairperson to meet with Director Keller to discuss the evaluation was made by Trustee Champion with a second by Trustee Wilkerson. All present agreed.

Adjournment

A motion to adjourn the meeting was made by Trustee Champion with a second by Trustee Larimer. All present agreed. The meeting adjourned at 9:15 pm.

Respectfully submitted,

 Kim Baldridge                                                                                                                                                             BBL Assistant Director