April 23, 2009 Board Minutes

Call to order at 4:00 p.m. by President Fuchs

Present: Derouin, Eisen, Enos, Fuchs, Nebel, Stanke

Absent: Werley, Wicihowski

Also present: Director Saecker, K. Seefeldt (Administrative Assistant)

 

1.      Motion to authorize payment of the April list of bills from the 2009 budget by Enos, seconded by Eisen, and carried unanimously.

 

2.      Approve minutes from the Board meeting of March 19, 2009.

Motion to approve minutes from the Board meeting of March 19, 2009 as presented by Eisen, seconded by Nebel, and carried unanimously.

 

3.      Statistics. The circulation total for March 2009 was 49,530 items, which was an 8.2% increase over March 2008. When we compared figures from March 2007 and March 2009, we had an increase of 10,000 circulations for the month in that two year period.

4.      Investment Committee. The Investment Committee was scheduled to meet after today’s Board meeting. Director Saecker encountered problems with her new computer and was unable to produce financial reports for the committee. She asked that the meeting be rescheduled for a later date.

5.      Finance Committee. The Finance Committee will meet in May or June to discuss budget priorities and potential projects for the coming year. The meeting will be held before Director Saecker begins drafting the 2010 budget.

6.      Board Appointments and Terms. Kathy Wicihowski will be completing a partial term this year and has elected to request to be reappointed to the Board. Ros Stanke will be completing a full term and has elected to leave the Board.  Library Board and staff members may submit recommendations for her replacement to Director Saecker. She will present the list to Mayor Merkes for his consideration. Keith Fuchs will retire as Superintendent of Schools on June 30^th.

7.      Green Scene 2009.  Coordinators for Green Scene 2009 have decided this year’s project will be a community-wide program with support from Heckrodt Wetland Reserve rather than a library-sponsored program. Some Green Scene events may still be held in the library.

 

8.      Gates Grant. After further review, our library and 20 others in the state are now eligible to receive Gates grants. We are eligible to receive two computers in 2010 and two in 2011, each valued at $2600. The computers must be for public Internet access. The $2600 price tag is meant to include any peripherals we might need. Additional funds may be used to purchase extra computers to be used by the public. According to the terms of this grant, we must agree to provide locally matched funds. In 2010 we will be required to match 25% ($1,300) of the grant and in 2011 we will be required to match 50% ($2,600). Director Saecker recommended the Board approve the library’s participation in the program.

Motion to approve participation in the Gates Grant Program for 2010 and 2011 by Nebel, seconded by Eisen and carried unanimously.

9.      Trustee Essentials #7.  Liz Derouin carefully summarized Trustee Essential #7 which covers The Library Board and Library Personnel. Questions were addressed.

 

Ros Stanke volunteered to review Trustee Essentials #8 Developing the Library Budget at the Board’s May 21 meeting.

 

Motion to adjourn the meeting at 4:37 p.m. by Derouin, seconded by Stanke, and carried unanimously.

 

The next regular board meeting will be held in the Gegan Room on Thursday, May 21 at 4:00 p.m.

 

Respectfully submitted,

Paul Eisen, Secretary

Kris Seefeldt, Recording Secretary