April 2008 Board Minutes

Thorntown Public Library

124 N. Market St.,
Thorntown, IN 46071
Phone: 765-436-7348 Fax 765-436-7011

Vice-President Deanna Brueggert called the meeting to order at 6:03 p.m. Present were Teresa Carter, Stephanie Jones, Patty Ramsey,, Eric Ragsdale, and Deanna Brueggert. John Merson and Ron Guinn were absent. Also present were library director Karen K. Niemeyer, treasurer Barbara A. Darnell, and head librarian Fern P. Minter.

The public hearing on the 2009-2011 Capital Projects Fund was opened. Since no members of the public were present, Patty moved and Eric seconded that the public hearing be closed; motion carried. The hearing adjourned at 6:15 p.m.

Staff members were introduced: Assistant Librarian Christine Sterle, Systems and Local History Librarian Linda White, Administrative Assistant Yvonne Urban-Morgan, Circulation Assistant and CICOA Lunch Site Manager Becki Osborne, and Young Adult Librarian and Literacy Coordinator Patricia Gillogly.

Larry Davis and Lloyd Tosser brought a presentation on Identity Theft Shield and PrePaid Legal Services. Karen proposed that the premiums for this be payroll-deducted and paid by the library board for all staff (including part-time) as a benefit of employment. Subsequently under the “New Business” portion of the meeting and after discussion, the board agreed with payroll deduction but at the employees’ expense. The two programs are available to board members as well as to staff and one or both may be selected

The library’s Teen Council, under the leadership of Pat Gillogly, presented their Youth As Resources grant proposal. This was a practice session to prepare the students for their presentation and defense before the YAR Board. Their proposed program will be called “Change the Page” and is designed to increase the amount of reading completed by teens and to encourage their participation in a wide variety of activities. The activities include Operation Theatre, Healthy Junk (natural food), Digital Imaging Scrapbooks, Yoga, Solar-Powered Robots, Recycled Art, Self-Portraits, a paper drive, and lunch with the library’s senior citizens. The activities will take place at the library and word will be spread by flies, posters, and one-on-one contact. The estimated budget is $1120. NOTE: Subsequent to their presentation before the YAR board, the youth received $285 for their summer program expenses. CONGRATULATIONS!

The minutes of the March 10, 2008, meeting were reviewed. Barbara provided a list of $3884.57 in additional claims (Anthem and Vectren) to be added to the March claims register. Eric moved and Stephanie seconded that the minutes be approved; motion carried.

Barbara Darnell provided the treasurer’s monthly financial report. Receipts for March 2008 total $32, 649.07 and disbursements total $54, 534.07. The March ending cash balance is $641,036.74 plus investments of $60,000.00 and interest of $6585.78. Total of all funds is $707,622. TrustINdiana (a local government investment pool) is now providing updated information on our former MBIA Investors account; there is now $60.01 in that account. Barbara explained percentages of spending (appropriation report) and provided a report showing that at the end of the first quarter total expenditures were 27.1% of the 2008 budget. After discussion, Patty moved and Eric seconded that the register of claims, a total of $25,195.67, be approved for payment; motion carried.

The report on Secret Garden progress showed a paver anticipated profit to date of $702.00, that Witham Health Services is buying a table at the gala and that gala reservations and donations total $5731, that materials are being received for the silent auction, and that the program will be brief at the April 19 event. The Friends of Thorntown Public Library are coordinating the evening and are assisted by the library staff and the Secret Garden Club members. Karen will be submitting grant proposals for additional funding. Letters have been sent to 116 current vendors with whom the library does business, and, to date, $100 has been received from CompuTrain. Since brick will not be available until the end of May, no construction will start until after that date.

Regarding board membership it was noted that Fern Miner’s candidacy as a replacement for John Merson (effective May 1) was being considered at the Western Boone school board meeting during this same evening.

The library’s automation project is being delayed statewide until after July and conclusion of summer reading programs. All Thorntown staff have been trained on the new open source system KohaZoom.

During the personnel report it was noted that Molly Donovan plans to work until her July pregnancy due date and that junior Emily McKenzie will again be available to work during the summer. All staff will back up the work needing to be done in Molly’s absence; it is anticipated that she will return to work on about September 1.

Karen reported that all library staff will be grandfathered in under the new state certification requirements. Until they desire to change jobs either at our library or at another, their status will be stable. Continuing education requirements will need to be met after the anticipated July 1 inauguration date of the new program. Certification is based on experience and education, not on job descriptions and titles. Two staff members may need to request temporary certification until their years of experience meet the minimum five-year requirement. All of this is pending state adoption and signing in May-June. There is concern that small public libraries will be unable to afford the higher certified staff. There are questions remaining about part-time employees and certification, whether or not staff who test out of basic classes may count the time as spent (as continuing education units), and whether or not the board will want to reimburse employees the $50 they must spend every five years to renew their certification.

The board was presented with recognition pins and a plaque from the Indiana Library Trustee Association. The LINK program of the Indiana Library Federation and the ILTA acknowledges outstanding board participation in continuing education and attendance for 2007.

Patty moved and Stephanie seconded that the capital projects fund proposed budget for 2009-2011 be approved; motion carried.

A photograph of the library’s west entrance and fountain at night was displayed. All members agreed that it is very well done and that Robert Winter’s work is excellent. He has offered to provide it in electronic format so that the library may use the photo in any way desired. The board and staff are very appreciative of this gesture.

The fountain requires welding of a 5” and 2” crack in the basin rim. The cracks may have been caused during installation and not visible until calcium deposits delineated the lines. Robinson Iron has agreed to pay for the repair and Karen is contacting welders of cast iron for the most competent one. Because the basin’s interior paint is flaking off, possibly because the paint had not sufficiently cured before the fountain was filled, Karen has asked Gary Deakins to handle the repainting after the welding has been completed. After appropriate curing, approximately 30 days, the fountain will again be in use.

Under the Director’s Report it was noted that property taxes will again be delayed and that in lieu of the May tax draw’s being timely, the library will again borrow from its existing funds to meet expenses. Rainwater has blown into the technical services office three times since January; Karen is negotiating repairs with Moisture Management, a company the ostensibly resolved the floor-level ingress of rainwater last spring. Today the treasurer’s office was experiencing noise in the wall and staff have identified it as a bird, probably larger than a sparrow. Karen has removed a ceiling tile and closed the treasurer’s door. NOTE: On Tuesday after the board meeting, a starling began exiting the ceiling tile and sitting on the office floor, chair back and window sill. He flew back into the plenum when staff entered. Eventually Karen positioned a ladder near the ceiling opening and Jim Miner in the treasurer’s chair with his recreational reading and the long-handled net used to retrieve leaves from the fountain. Within 45 minutes Jim had captured the visitor and escorted him to the exterior of the building. THANKS, JIM!

There being no further business, Teresa moved and Stephanie seconded that the meeting be adjourned; motion carried. The meeting adjourned at 8:13 p.m.