City of Rock Island Public Library Board of Trustees met Oct. 19.
Here are the minutes provided by the board:
Type of Meeting: Regularly Scheduled Board Meeting
Meeting Facilitator: Eudell Watts III
Call to Order: President Eudell Watts III called the meeting to order at 5:00pm.
Attendance: Karen Phillips, Pat Mahar, Jo Noon, Deborah Freiburg, Elizabeth Russell, Jacki Nelson, Jenni Swanson; Angela Campbell, Library Director; Kathy Lelonek, Foundation Director; Malachi Kohlwey, Business Office & Facilities Director.
Absent: Dr. Yolanda Grandberry Pugh
Public Comment: None. President Watts took a moment to apologize for missing last month’s board meeting.
Approval of Minutes: The Board reviewed the meeting minutes of September 17, 2021. Without any additions or corrections, President Watts advised the minutes be approved as written.
Board Education: Director Campbell discussed the Per Capita Aid Requirements for 2022 and will include additional details in future board meeting agendas.
Correspondence: The Kewanee Public Library reached out after a tour from staff, Director Campbell discussed that library staff has visited other libraries in the area to learn ways we can improve our processes, operations, etc. After the tours, library staff have filled out surveys to explain their findings. Alderperson Gilbert sent a kudos for the Library’s detailed Disaster & Emergency Response Plan. Director Campbell highlighted this and advised that the Fire Chief leads the City of Rock Island’s disaster response.
Committee Reports
Finance – Jenni Swanson
Jenni Swanson made a motion to approve monthly bills for September in the amount of $ 275,403.04. Jacki Nelson seconded. Jenni Swanson advised that there is a $225,000 payment to JCI for the ongoing Library HVAC project. President Watts took a recorded vote: 7 ayes – Swanson, Freiburg, Phillips, Mahar, Noon, Russell, and Nelson; 0 nays, motion carried.
Buildings and Grounds
Facilities Director Kohlwey reported on the South parking lot appraisal. The City of Rock Island’s Community and Economic Development team has advised that for the Library to procure the lot, a plot survey will have to occur to subdivide the lot off of the existing parcel. Facilities Director Kohlwey has reached out to multiple certified land surveyors to get an estimate for the work, once the estimates are received, it will be presented to the board.
Personnel & Policy – Debbie Freiburg
Debbie Freiburg reported that she has reached out to the city’s HR team to let them know that the members of the Personnel & Policy Committee can now handle the evaluations with the user license(s) we are able to obtain. Additionally, Freiburg reported that HR does not need to re-create the evaluation criteria because it will be the same as the other city department heads. Director Campbell advised that the city’s HR team is trying to invest more resources into the PerformancePro program which might allow for all the board members to be able to have access to the program.
Planning & Community Relations – Karen Phillips
Karen Phillips reported that the committee has reviewed the design concept for the strategic plan and the literacy action plan. The group also reviewed the tentative floorplans for the new library. Director Campbell added that the final strategic planning document will be up for Board approval next month.
Art – Pat Mahar
Foundation Director Lelonek advised that a team has reinstalled all of the Library’s artwork and that the Irma Rene Koen painting will now be on display at the Downtown Library’s second floor to better preserve it.
Foundation – Kathy Lelonek
Foundation Director, Kathy Lelonek, gave an update on the Capital Campaign. She also reported that the Foundation Executive Committee has been attending their annual bank review sessions. The next meeting of the Foundation Board will be November 11, 2021 at 4pm at the Downtown Library. It will be Russ Kennel’s last Foundation Board meeting, as he is retiring from the Board. We are grateful for his decades of service to the Foundation. Director Lelonek has found a local accountant to take over for Russ after his retirement.
Administrator Reports
Director’s Reports & Statistics – Director Campbell advised that we are working on the big items, the budget and occupancy agreement. Additionally, Director Campbell discussed the lingering COVID effects on the Library stats and that we are in the layout design step of the new Library. Once the design plans are complete they will be presented to the board for approval.
Milan Blackhawk Area Public Library District
Next Meeting: January 27, 2021 at 4pm at the Southwest Library
Unfinished Business
1. COVID Mitigation Efforts – Discussion/updates – The Library has been doing its best to follow all state and local guidelines to mitigate any COVID disruptions.
2. South Entrance Parking Lot – Updates – Facilities Director Kohlwey is working on getting estimates for the plot survey, estimates will be presented to the board once they are received.
3. *High School Advisory Board Members – Nominations? - Board members are currently reaching out to contacts at the local school districts, will advise if any nominations are found.
New Business
1. Pat Mahar made a motion to approve the Board Bylaws revisions. Debbie Freiburg seconded. Director Campbell advised that the bylaws now list that all board members must have a library card. President Watts took a recorded vote: 7 ayes – Swanson, Freiburg, Phillips, Mahar, Noon, Russell, and Nelson; 0 nays, motion carried.
2. Elizabeth Russell made a motion to approve the name for the new Library as the Watts Midtown Library. Jacki Nelson seconded the motion. The board discussed that the naming would include telling the history and legacy of both Lorene Watts and Eudell Watts. President Watts took a recorded vote: 7 ayes – Swanson, Freiburg, Phillips, Mahar, Noon, Russell, and Nelson; 0 nays, motion carried. After the vote, President Watts took a moment to describe the feeling as humbling in regards to the naming of the new Library.
3. Jacki Nelson made a motion to approve the Intergovernmental Agreement for the joint purchasing of library programming and services with Northbrook Public Library and the Reaching Across Illinois Library System. Elizabeth Russell seconded the motion. Director Campbell advised that the agreement is a partnership between 50-100 other Libraries and will give our Library and patrons access to 6 months of programming that the partnership will offer. These programming events will be online and offer access to larger authors that we would not be able to otherwise offer, due to budget restrictions. President Watts took a recorded vote: 7 ayes – Swanson, Freiburg, Phillips, Mahar, Noon, Russell, and Nelson; 0 nays, motion carried.
4. Jenni Swanson made a motion to approve the CY2022 budget. Debbie Freiburg seconded the motion. Director Campbell explains that her and Finance Committee Chair Swanson went to discuss the budget and proposed deficit with the city manager. The city manager advised that the tax levy receipts could increase due to an increase in the equalized assessed value (EAV) of properties. Additionally, Director Campbell advised that if the tax levy does not cover the deficit, the Library will have to cut costs or services to offset the deficit. After further discussion of the budget timeline and how it could affect the final budget, Jenni Swanson and Debbie Freiburg rescinded their motions for approval of the CY2022 budget and put forth a new motion. Jenni Swanson made a motion to approve the CY2022 budget as it is presented on October 19, 2021. Debbie Freiburg seconded the motion. President Watts took a recorded vote: 7 ayes – Swanson, Freiburg, Phillips, Mahar, Noon, Russell, and Nelson; 0 nays, motion carried.
Information Sharing
• Unique Reports – Unique Reports will continue to be included in the board packet.
• Updated Policy List
• Library Website Survey Results – Director Campbell discussed results from the survey for the Library website update.
• Seed Library Success for 2021
• Shred Day Success for 2021 – Director Campbell discussed the success of Shred Day and the Electronic Recycling Drive.
• Grant Award Letter – Director Campbell discussed that the grant is a reimbursement grant for the year 2022 and Facilities Director Kohlwey discussed that the grant will allow the Library to procure outdoor seating, indoor seating carrels, device charging lockers, table-top charging units, and more.
*Closed Session – Not needed
Announcements
• Director Campbell sent out a link where t-shirts are available for purchase in support of the Rock Island Public Library!
Adjournment – President Watts adjourned the meeting at 5:50pm.
https://www.rigov.org/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Minutes/_10192021-839
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