Board Minutes

You are here:

Home
Board Minutes

Board Minutes

2021

Library Board Meeting
Wells County Public Library
207 N Jefferson St Ossian, IN 46777
Ossian Meeting Room
Tuesday, May 11, 2021
Meeting Agenda
6:30pm

1. Call to Order: Kim Gentis called the meeting to order at 6:31 PM.
Present: Steve Tabor, Angie Smith, Robin Minniear, Kim Gentis
2. Public Input: None
3. Consent Agenda: Minniear motioned to approved the consent agenda. Tabor offered a second. Motion passed 4-0.
a. April 13, 2021 Board Meeting Minutes
b. Librarian’s Report
c. Treasurer’s Report
d. April 2021 Register of Claims
1. May 1-11, 2021 Register of Claims
Tabor moved to accept register of claims in the amount of $140,021.03. Minniear offered a second. The register of claims was approved.
5. Correspondence . . .
a. A patron sent a thank you for help with copying
b. Tipton library employees visited WCPL to learn more about Word Wise and sent a thank you.
1. Staff Report: A past architect came into the branch and shared information with employees about the construction of the Ossian building. He liked the updates to the building, stating that what makes a building beautiful is that it is attractive, serviceable, and strong. The architect liked how well the building was taken care of and sustained. Susan gave us a tour and share the new Osmo, Krayon Kiosk, and changes to the library layout. The board also met Betty Maloney, a new employee.
2. Committee Reports
a. Building
i. Restroom update: Restroom construction should begin mid-May. Countertops are on backorder, so they are hoping to finish by mid-June. Patrons will be using the staff bathroom for the first two weeks of summer reading until it is finished.
b. Budget
i. Budget Calendar: The department of local government finance shared the 2021 budget calendar. On June 30, the assessed value growth quotient will be provided. July 19 is the beginning of department budget workshops. On July 14, we will receive our estimate of permissable property tax levy and receive our estimate of the miscellaneous revenue. At the August 10 board meeting the board will approve the salary resolution and proposed 2022 budget. At the September 14 board meeting, a public hearing will be held on the proposed budget. At the October 12 board meeting, the board will adopt the 2021 budget.
c. Policy and By-laws
i. Services and Small Purchase Policies: Tabor recommended changing Wells County Public Library to library in order to stay consistent in the policy.
d. Public Awareness/Outreach: None
e. Nominating: None
f. Director Evaluation: The survey went out Monday . . . 24 out of 31 have filled it out already.
3. Unfinished Business: None
4. Personnel Updates
a. New Summer Interns: Linden Barcus and Fletcher Sabinske will be used with summer reading prep, circulation, children’s room assistance, Ossian assistance, and lunch break coverage. Both have been involved patrons since they were little. They will be paid $10.44 an hour for 30-35 hours per week. Minniear motioned to approve their hiring. Tabor added a second. The motion passed 4-0.
5. New Business
a. Resolution 21-04: Payment of claims in advance of board approval . . .This will allow Danielle to pay utility payments or connection charges, insurance premiums, bond or coupon payments, payroll costs, state, federal, or county taxes, and expenses that must be paid because of emergency circumstances. Tabor made a motion to approve the resolution. Minniear added a second. The resolution passed 4-0.
6. Other Items for Consideration
a. Director Updates: The library will be closed for in-service from 8-1 on May 21 for tech training. It will also be closed all day Saturday May 29th and Monday, May 31st
b. Meetings attended outside library: Creative Arts Council, United Way board meeting, Chamber board meeting, Chamber quarterly luncheon Turn Around Awards, Rotary meetings, Overdrive meeting, YMCA Board Meeting, Continuous Improvement, Leadership Academy – Level 3 Received an award for BCA Northeast at the Awards Banquet.
c. Meetings inside library: Department head meeting discussed new circulating items backyard games and Try-It kits, overnight pick-up, Niche Academy, going fine free, summer interns, spring in-service and updating the Word Wise category of Science.
d. Current projects/ big programs, news: plans for Children’s book Festival are underway. Employees watched a webinar on how to provide after-hours pick -up lockers at a minimum cost. Staff is hoping to offer this service at Ossian, Bluffton, and Southern Wells. Staff will also be watching a demo on a product called Niche Academy, which would offer tech education to staff and patrons. A few libraries in our CI group and Allen County use this product to streamline their staff education and orientation. Creating a tech academy from scratch has been too much on Brian and Emily’s plates and so this could be used as a supplement instead. Staff is researching the possibility of becoming a fine-free library. Over 50 libraries in Indiana are fine free and the list keeps growing. WCPL is the last library in our continuous improvement group to consider this. The main set-backs are the unknowns for a few of our department heads. Sarah has asked them to compile all their concerns, do some research, and then a panel of fellow librarians, that have gone fine free, will come and talk to department heads.
7. Roundtable
8. Next Meeting Announcements:
a. Regular Meeting– Tuesday, June 8, 2021, 6:30pm at Bluffton
9. Adjournment: Gentis adjourned the meeting at 7:30.