Carbondale Reporter

Carbondale Public Library Board of Trustees met Sept. 11.

Here is the minutes 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.

Barbara Levine, President

Roland Person, Secretary (1 excused) 

Julian Pei, Treasurer (2 excused) 

Philip Brown

Joyce Hayes

Don Prosser

Harriet Simon (1 excused)

Absent.

Susan Tulis, Vice President (1) 

Chastity Mays (1)

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.

Two: an Eagle Scout; Social Work Intern Shacon Scott

President’s report.

None.

Secretary’s report.

1. Approval of August 14, 2019 minutes. Philip Brown made a motion to accept the minutes. Harriet Simon seconded. MOTION passed unanimously.

Correspondence and communications.

Financial report.

1. Approval of bills payable up to and including bills due September 16, 2019 to October 15, 2019. Roland Person made a motion to pay bills. Joyce Hayes seconded. MOTION passed unanimously.

2. Acceptance of the financial report for August 2019. Books have been the primary purchases. We have received no property tax revenue yet. We have borrowed $100,000 from reserves so far this year. Julian Pei made a motion to accept the financial report. Joyce Hayes seconded. MOTION passed unanimously.

3. Discussion of FY21 and long-term budgeting priorities. The board discussed meeting the increased expenses associated with the minimum wage increases as a budgeting and levying priority through 2025. The board also explored the possibility of eliminating fines on children’s materials, which would decrease annual revenue by about $3,600 - $3,700 per year. This was their first introduction to this nationwide trend toward removing barriers to access, encouraged by ALA and adopted by several Illinois libraries. Some board members felt disturbed by the idea that eliminating fines would remove personal responsibility from patrons. They generally concluded that it is difficult to consider a revenue decrease at the same time as increased expenditures. The FY2020 budget needs to be amended to reflect a decrease in anticipated grant revenue and a decrease in construction expenses, as we did not receive the Live & Learn Construction grant we’d submitted. We will budget for that project and resubmit the grant in FY2021, carrying over whatever revenue we can to put toward those associated expenses.

Librarian’s report.

1. Discussed building and grounds maintenance.

2. Per Capita grant requirements. Discussion of Trustee Facts File chapters: Chapter 11 on Fundraising; Chapter 12 on Advocacy. The board noted that they are grateful for the fundraising efforts of the Friends. They discussed advocacy laws as they apply to public bodies. They discussed potential threats on the horizon that would reduce revenue and services, including the potential loss of home rule due to a population decrease, and any property tax caps the legislature may pass.

3. Other. Discussed an IDHR complaint submitted by a former employee and related insurance coverage. Two Social Work Interns are currently in training. Teen & Youth Program Coordinator Jennifer Johansson has resigned. She is moving away. Several candidates were interviewed. MLIS degreed librarian Elizabeth Hartman was hired to fill the position.

Committee reports.

None.

Unfinished business.

None.

New business.

None.

Other.

1. Patron behavior. Discussed a patron hygiene issue. No action taken at this time.

Adjournment.

Adjourned at 5:30 p.m.

Next Board Meetings for 2019 (all in Public Library meeting room, 4:30 p.m., second Wednesday of each month): October 9, November 13, December 11.

http://carbondalepubliclibrary.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/September-2019.pdf