Carbondale Reporter

City of Carbondale Public Library Board of Trustees met February 14. 

Here is the minutes as provided by the board:

Call to order.

Called to order at 4:30 p.m.

Roll call.

Introductions, audience and visitors. Visitors are asked to introduce themselves at this time and present any

issues they wish to discuss. Visitors wishing to address specific agenda items will be granted two to five

minutes at the discretion of the President, not to exceed a total of twenty minutes. The Library Board may

cut short any comments that are irrelevant, repetitious, or disruptive. (Id. at 1425-26).

Present.

Philip Brown, President

Barbara Levine, Vice President (3)

Joyce Hayes, Secretary

Don Prosser, Treasurer (2, plus 2 excused)

Julian Pei (1)

Roland Person (1)

Harriet Simon (2)

Sharifa Stewart (2)

Susan Tulis (2)

Absent.

None.

The number following the Trustee’s name indicates the number of absences this fiscal year.

Staff present.

Diana Brawley Sussman, Library Director; Gwen Hall Grosshenrich, Finance Manager

Visitors present.

Three students.

President’s report.

1. Bylaws review and possible revision of Article IX (Trustee Attendance). Roland Person made a motion to

revise the bylaws to add more reasons for excused absences. Philip Brown seconded. MOTION passed

unanimously. The revised sentence reads: The Board President or Vice President may excuse absences due

to a death in the trustee’s family, an illness or disability of the trustee or the trustee’s family, family or other

emergency, or when employment or library board business necessitates an absence as long as those absences

do not threaten the likelihood of a monthly quorum.

2. Reaffirm excused absences for board member. Harriet Simon made a motion to re-approve Don Prosser’s

work related absences at the June 14, 2017 and December 13, 2017 meetings. Barbara Levine seconded.

MOTION passed unanimously.

Secretary’s report.

1. Approval of the January 10, 2018 minutes. Susan Tulis made a motion to approve the minutes with two

minor edits. Joyce Hayes seconded. MOTION passed unanimously.

Correspondence and communications.

None.

Financial report.

1. Approval of bills payable up to and including bills due February 16, 2018 to March 15, 2018. Among

standard bills there are bills for database renewals, and a bill for $1500 for snow and ice removal so far this

winter. Julian Pei made a motion to pay bills. Susan Tulis seconded. MOTION passed unanimously.

2. Approval of the final FY19 budget. Don Prosser made a motion to approve the amended final budget as

presented. Julian Pei seconded. MOTION passed unanimously. In comparison to the preliminary budget

passed in October, a narrative report is included; there are line item adjustments, but no change to overall

revenue of $1,158,753 or expenditures of $1,138,753.

3. Acceptance of the financial report for January 2018. We are still waiting for revenue from some

replacement taxes, the rest of the property taxes, and the Per Capita Grant. Librarians have been instructed

to reduce spending on materials because per capita revenue may not come in. It is our understanding that the

funds are there, but they may not be released by the state during this fiscal year. Philip Brown moved to

approve the financial report. Harriet Simon seconded. MOTION passed unanimously.

Librarian’s report.

1. Building and grounds maintenance and construction. Nothing to report.

2. Per Capita funds. There may be a delay in the release of these funds. Librarians will reduce materials

spending in order to offset a portion of that missing revenue. The contingency in our budget is there for this

type of situation as well.

3. Other. The Director is currently serving on planning committees for Directors’ University (an annual

statewide training conference for new library directors), and for the newly reinstated Leadership

Carbondale. She has been asked, and has agreed, to run for the Illinois Library Association board.

Committee reports.

None.

Unfinished business.

None.

New business.

None.

Other.

The board answered some very astute questions from the teens in the audience.

Adjournment.

Adjourned at 4:59 p.m.

Board Meetings for 2018 (all in Public Library meeting room, 4:30 p.m., second Wednesday of each

month): March 14, 2018, April 11, 2018, May 9, 2018, June 13, 2018, July 11, 2018, August 8, 2018,

September 12, 2018, October 10, 2018, November 14, 2018, December 12, 2018

http://explorecarbondale.com/sites/default/files/pdf/agenda/2018-agendas/2018-05-22%20Regular%20City%20Council%20Boards%20and%20Commissions%20Minutes.pdf