Minutes
ALLEGAN DISTRICT LIBRARY BOARD OF TRUSTEES
December 21, 2009

The meeting was called to order at 7:02 p.m. by Vice President Jo Bortz. Present were Trustees: Antkoviak, Bortz, Garofalo, Hellmann, Kiella, Watts, Director Perrigo and Administrative Assistant Lyzenga.

Trustee Watts made a motion to excuse President Susan Jerkatis. Passed.

Guest at the Board meeting was Steve Tibbitts of Tibbits Financial Consulting.

Vice President Bortz revised the agenda so the Finance Committee would be first.

Finance Committee: Trustee Watts said that the Committee had gathered much investment information and arrived at a decision regarding investment of the library’s fund balance monies. Trustee Watts set forth the committee’s recommendation – “Fund Balance Investment Proposal” to go through Steve Tibbitts’ firm. Steve gave an explanation of the proposal which is very conservative given the current interest rates. He answered questions from other board members. It was noted that statute MCL 129.91 gives the parameters for library investment. This proposal meets the statute. It was moved and passed to accept the Investment Proposal as presented by the Finance Committee..

Trustee Watts then presented a new Investment Policy document. Discussion followed with one amendment noted to item #6 – Prohibited Investments. The change is: “The Finance Committee has the power to establish on an annual basis a compilation of prohibited investments.” It was moved and passed to accept this amendment. It was also moved and passed to accept the Investment Policy.

The 3rd item of the Finance Committee that Trustee Watts presented was a Credit Card Policy and Credit Card Guidelines. The auditors requested this policy and guidelines for the Library’s credit card. It was moved to accept the Credit Card Policy and put the guidelines on the agenda for the Board’s January meeting. Trustee Antkoviak moved for the policy and guidelines to be passed tonight at board meeting. It was put to a vote and the nays had it. On the motion to approve Policy and set the guidelines over to the next meeting, it passed.

The minutes of the November 16th board meeting were reviewed and approved.

The November statistical report and financial report were reviewed.

Bills to be paid ($9,608.70) were approved.

LIBRARIAN’S REPORT

Director Perrigo will be attending the mid-winter meeting in Boston of ALA on January 13th and will be gone a week. She will be very busy with the committee she is on. Director Perrigo mentioned that Peggy Westgate’s husband passed away and today was Peggy’s first time back to the library. Everyone in the library has taken up her hours on the schedule to help out.

Trustee Kiella noted that the library closed Thursday, December 10th, at 5 p.m. due to the blizzard. He inquired whether the library had any official closing policy. There is no policy. A guideline was suggested that a senior staff person and a board member must approve any such closing in the Director’s absence. Trustee Kiella offered to formulate an official closing policy.

COMMITTEE REPORTS:

Friends and Budget Committees did not meet.

Personnel Committee: Trustee Kiella presented documents on job descriptions and compensation. He pointed out specific documents and asked that the board hear from Director Perrigo. Discussion followed. It was moved and passed to accept the job description of Library Clerk II, Technical Processing Clerk/Network Administrator. All other job descriptions along with compensation matrix and pay range matrix will be worked on at the Board’s January retreat.

Trustee Kiella made a recommendation for a pay increase for Alan Smith. During discussion Trustee Watts made exception to the increase. The original motion to approve recommended increase was moved and passed with 3 yes and 2 nays.

Trustee Kiella brought up that the Library has no policy for performance reviews or no complete overview of personnel. The Board will also consider the Performance and Compensation Policy draft document at their January retreat.

By-Laws Committee: met and board will work on those at the January retreat.

OLD BUSINESS;

Building issues – Trustee Watts wondered if the Library could apply for one of the DDA Façade Grants through the Downtown Development Authority. He will send the forms to Director Perrigo.

Millage Proposal – Director Perrigo said the necessary information for a millage ballot proposal has been sent to the library attorney but as yet she had not received wording for the proposal.

Public Relations – Our ad is up at the Regent Theatre per Trustee Watts which is especially noteworthy during the next two weeks of free matinees at the Regent. Director Perrigo said we have not received a invoice from the theatre as yet. Trustee Watts will follow up on that.
Board Retreat – will be held January 9, 2009 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the Carnegie Room at the library. Notice of the retreat needs to be published in the paper. Agenda items deadline is January 4th.

NEW BUSINESS:

Director Perrigo said we have received a preliminary audit. The final audit will be coming soon. The treasurer needed to sign the document that had to be forwarded back to the auditor.

Director Perrigo did not have the copy of longevity pay as it was under the city. It was noted that there was no provision for longevity pay in the library personnel policy. This item was put off to the retreat.

PUBLIC COMMENT – None

Meeting was adjourned at 9:10 p.m. The next meeting will be January 18th.

Evelyn Lyzenga
Administrative Assistant