Minutes of Regular Meeting
ELISHA D. SMITH PUBLIC LIBRARY TRUSTEES
Elisha D. Smith Public Library Gegan Room
April 16, 2015
Call to order at 4:00pm by Crawmer.
Present: Crawmer, Eisen, Murray, Nichols, VanderHeyden, Wicihowski and Kaminski
Absent: Golz
Also Present: Director Lenz and Beson (Head of Children’s Services)
Public Comment/Communication
Nichols indicated that she is stepping down from the library board. Wicihowski has agreed to serve another 3-year term, if approved by the Common Council.
Consent Business
Motion made by Nichols to approve the Library Board meeting minutes from March 19, 2015, seconded by Wicihowski . Motion carried unanimously.
Authorization of Bills
Eisen asked if there was a double entry made for Unique Books for $107.40 and Unique Management for $107.40. This will be corrected on the list of bills to be signed. Motion made by Eisen to authorize payment of the April 2015 bills from the 2015 budget with the above correction, seconded by Murray. Motion carried unanimously.
Director’s Report/Information Items
1. March Statistics. Circulation is down 3.7% for the month of March and 1% so far this year.
2. 2015 Budget Status. The current budget shows that 24.7% of the year is past and 29.4% has been spent due to some annual expenses being paid.
3. Endowment Reports. The endowment report was reviewed.
4. Staff Reports.
• Staff participated in city-wide Equal Employment Opportunity training.
• The thank-you cards written out by board members were mailed to volunteers thanking them for their service. Diane Hotynski was nominated for the Janet Berry Volunteer of the Year Award.
• The Friends provided refreshments, treats, and prizes during National Library Week. Crawmer provided 1 course of a 5 course meal each day in the staff lounge, along with shredded books to guess the titles and win a prize, in appreciation of staff during National Library Week.
• Food for Fines donations will benefit the Double Portions Food Pantry in Menasha.
• The Fox Cities Book Festival will be held April 20 through April 26.
• We are working on the logistics to provide a ceiling mounted screen, projector, and speakers in the story room. These will enable easy demonstration of technology offered at the library, including the recent app project for iPads. Nichols suggested considering a smart board.
• Public Works Deputy Adam Alix is working on getting quotes for the roof replacement. The cooling tower needs to be permanently lifted before the roof is replaced.
• A shatterproof film was put on the old Mill Street Library Cabinet in the fiction. The cabinet was donated by the new Lemon Loves Lime business moving into the downtown.
5. Staff Development Plan. Trustees reviewed the Staff Development Plan completed earlier this year by the library’s Staff Development Committee. This is an important component of the library’s Succession Plan, which is still under development.
6. Strategic Plan Update. The updated Strategic Plan was reviewed.
Discussion/Action Items
7. Fundraising Committee Report.
• The Fundraising Committee met on April 14 and approved the following mission statement:
The Elisha D. Smith Public Library Board Fundraising Committee works with the library’s Friends and volunteers to: bring attention to the library’s valuable role in our community; ensure that future generations have as great a library as we have today, promote the library endowment’s value as a charity; build a larger endowment for the library through gifts, memorials, and fundraising projects; provide more funding for the library materials, equipment, services, and programs; and develop ways for individuals to express their support of our great library.
• The committee discussed how to sell the Smith Family Book Collection donated last year.
• Each year the library will hold three books sales instead of two. This summer’ sale will be abbreviated and feature materials in abundance.
• The committee is discussing the idea of a Murder Mystery fundraiser around Halloween.
• The 2015-2016 committee goals are to hold one major fundraising event per year; have three book sales per year; conduct an end-of-year letter campaign; and distribute legacy brochures to attorneys, accountants, and financial planners.
• It was agreed that the committee will get board approval on all fundraising projects.
• Crawmer and Wicihowski will be attending Library Fundraising: The Lancaster Success Story trustee workshop in Ripon on April 22.
8. Contract for Library Entrance Project. Miron Construction is offering to remove the concrete, replace some of the sidewalk, and construct a planter similar to the planters adjacent to this area at no cost to the library. Funds that were put aside for this project will be used for the roof project. Motion made by Eisen to approve the contract with Miron to complete the entrance project with sidewalks and planter at no cost to the library, seconded by Nichols. Motion carried unanimously.
9. Trustee Essentials Chapter 25. Nichols summarized Chapter 25 – Liability Issues. This chapter addresses basic issues concerning trustee and municipal liability and actions that can be taken to limit liability.
Adjournment
Motion to adjourn the meeting at 4:55pm was made by Nichols and seconded by Wicihowski. Motion carried unanimously.
Respectfully submitted,
Kathy Beson, recording secretary
