Minutes of Regular Meeting
ELISHA D. SMITH PUBLIC LIBRARY TRUSTEES
Elisha D. Smith Public Library Gegan Room
January 21, 2016
Call to order at 4:00pm by Crawmer.
Present: Crawmer, Englebert, Golz, Kaminski (teen rep), Rollins-Jump and Wicihowski
Absent: Franzoi and VanderHeyden
Also Present: Director Lenz, K. Beson (Children’s Services Supervisor), C. Brandt (Support Services Supervisor), K. Moore-Nokes (Young Adult and Media Librarian) and Dreyer (Administrative Assistant)
Public Comment/Communication
None
Consent Business
Motion made by Englebert, seconded by Golz to approve the Library Board meeting minutes from December 15, 2015. Motion carried unanimously.
Motion made by Wicihowski, seconded by Golz to accept the Fundraising Committee meeting minutes from January 4, 2016. Motion carried unanimously.
Authorization of Bills
A revised December (2) list of bills was distributed with two additions: a mileage reimbursement and a USPS charge on the Elan (Visa) bill. Golz inquired about the Energy Control and Design bill which is for the annual Protection Maintenance Agreement, the ACC Planned Service bill which is the semi-annual billing for the maintenance for the HVAC system, and the WALS bill which is the annual fee for the library’s automation system. Motion made by Englebert, seconded by Wicihowski to authorize payment of the December (2) 2015 bills as presented from the 2015 budget and the January 2016 bills from the 2016 budget. Motion carried unanimously.
Director’s Report/Information Items
1. December Statistics. The report sums up the annual statistics for 2015 which shows a decrease in overall circulation but an increase in reference service and program attendance.
2. 2015 Budget Status. The budget status reflects the December bills. There should be some excess funds. We have been having problems with our self-check machines and to upgrade them would cost about $7,000. Motion made by Rollins-Jump, seconded by Englebert to make a formal request to the mayor that, if we have any left-over funds, they be used to purchase software and hardware to upgrade the self-check machines in circulation and the children’s department. Motion carried unanimously.
3. Endowment Report. A year-to-date and December endowment report was sent out with the list of bills.
4. Staff Reports.
a. Young Adult and Media Librarian Kirk Moore-Nokes reported on the YALSA Symposium that was held in Oregon in November and how he plans to incorporate what he has learned into young adult programs at the library.
b. Menasha Park and Recreation is requesting a meeting room to hold a hunters’ safety class. Currently, the library does not allow guns unless carried by a sworn officer. The class would be given by a certified hunter safety instructor who would bring no ammunition. The consensus was that it would be alright to hold this class at the library.
c. Children’s Services Supervisor Kathy Beson provided an end-of-year review of 2015 Children’s Services showing programs up 66% since 2005, program attendance up 90% since 2005, 4 additional First Book Grants and the iPad project.
d. The maximum number of holds that a patron can place has been increased to 50 at a time.
e. Library cards will expire every 3 years vs. yearly.
f. Brad Brandow has been permanently banned from the library for attempting to take someone’s purse in the library parking lot in December.
g. Library Legislative Day in Madison is February 9.
5. Fundraising Committee Report.
• Crawmer reported that the committee has 13 chili competitors and are still accepting donations and literary baskets. The trustees are encouraged to sell tickets.
• The Community Foundation/Secura has denied our request to help fund a sculpture for the front of the library.
Discussion /Action Items
1. 2016 Holidays. Last year, New Year’s Eve was added as a paid holiday to even out the number of paid
holidays library and city employees receive. However, since many people visited the library and used the book drop, it was proposed that the library be open New Year’s Eve 2016 with limited hours and give employees another floating holiday in its place. Since this changes policy, it will be reviewed again at next month’s board meeting before a vote is taken.
2. Board Vacancy. Library policy does not address what to do in the event of the board president resigning but states that elections of officers are done at the July meeting. Our Vice President is willing to serve as President and Rollins-Jump agreed to serve as Vice President until July. Motion made by Englebert, seconded by Golz that Crawmer serve as President and Rollins-Jump serve as Vice President until the July board meeting. Motion carried unanimously.
3. Meeting Date and Time. A trustee requested that we change our board meetings to the third Wednesday of each month. The consensus was to make this change, but notify those who are absent.
Adjourn into Closed Session: Motion made by Englebert, seconded by Rollins-Jump to adjourn and reconvene in closed session pursuant to WI Statue §19.85(c) for the purpose of considering promotion, compensation or performance evaluation of employees. Roll call vote: Crawmer-yes, Englebert-yes, Golz-yes, Rollins-Jump-yes and Wicihowski-yes.
Reconvene into open session: Motion made by Rollins-Jump to adjourn closed session and reconvene in open session, seconded by Wicihowski. Roll call vote: Crawmer-yes, Englebert-yes, Golz-yes, Rollins-Jump-yes and Wicihowski-yes.
Discussion / Action Items
4. Policies and Personnel Committee: Staffing. Motion made by Englebert, seconded by Rollins-Jump to expand the Adult Services position to full-time, including full-time benefits, adjusting overall staffing with attrition to accommodate that change in future budgets. Motion carried unanimously.
5. Policies and Personnel Committee: Staffing. Motion made by Wicihowski, seconded by Englebert to approve the recommendation of the Policies and Personnel Committee to retroactively grandfather an employee’s 2014 hourly wage above the wage scale established by the board on August 12, 2014, for Library Assistant’s and fix it at the current wage for 2016, allowing only for cost of living changes until there is a subsequent change in the compensation range for this position which would be above her then current hourly compensation rate. Motion carried unanimously.
Adjournment
Motion to adjourn made at 4:50pm by Golz, seconded by Wicihowski. Motion carried unanimously.
Respectfully submitted,
Kathy Dreyer, recording Secretary
Kathy Wicihowski, Secretary (closed session)
