Rock Island Today

City of Rock Island Public Library Board of Trustees met Aug. 20.

Here are the minutes provided by the board:

I. Call to Order: The meeting was called to order by President Swanson at 5:00pm.

II. Attendance: Deborah Freiburg, Jacki Nelson, Jo Noon, Aleatha Quarles, Elizabeth Russell,; Angela Campbell, Library Director; Kayla Steffen, Business & Facilities Director; Kathy Lelonek, Foundation Director; Lisa Lockheart, Publicity & Outreach Liaison; Jessica Sager, Finance Director

Absent: Dr. Yolanda Grandberry Pugh, Nick Hammond, Eudell Watts III.

III. Public Comment: None.

IV. Approval of Minutes

● Trustee Freiburg made a motion to approve the minutes from the Board of Trustees meeting on July 16, 2024. Trustee Russell seconded the motion. No discussion, motion carries. President Swanson took a voice vote. All ayes, no nays. Motion passes.

● Trustee Freiburg made a motion to approve the minutes from the Finance Committee (July 29, 2024), Community & Planning Committee (July 29, 2024), and Personnel & Policy Committee (August 5, 2024). Trustee Russell seconded. No discussion, motion passes.

V. Board Education

● The board packet included Chapter 13 of Serving Our Public 4.0, state library standards. Director Campbell shared that the library does well with marketing, and hopes to install digital signage for all three locations.

VI. Correspondence

● Thank You MWC

● Complaint Watts-Midtown Driveway

● Complaint DVD Lighting

The board received and reviewed all the correspondence.

VII. Committee Reports

A) Finance – Jenni Swanson

● President Swanson made a motion to approve monthly bills for July in the amount of $80,029.25 Trustee Russell seconded. No discussion. President Swason took a roll call vote. All ayes, no nays, motion passes.

● Finance Committee Meeting Review

President Swanson reported that the committee met on July 29th to discuss the 2025 calendar year budget. The capital improvement plans are the same submissions as last year. There is a $82k estimated deficit, but the 90-day reserve fund makes up for this amount.

● The Finance Director, Jessica Sager, reported that the city is planning on paying for the library’s HVAC project in 2025, subject to city council approval. She also reported thatthe EAV from the county should arrive in September, so the library’s tax estimate for 2025 can be finalized.

● The library’s budget meeting with the Finance Department is scheduled for September 29th at 11:30am.

B) Art & Facilities

● President Swanson reported that the city council approved the MOU on August 12, 2024.

● Director Campbell reported that the radon tests detected high levels of radon in the building. Steffen shared that mitigation will begin in a few weeks. The estimated cost is $25-30k from the CDBG funds. The masonry restoration project was pushed to mid-September, which will allow the radon mitigation to begin first. The board suggests testing all library locations for radon.

C) Personnel & Policy – Debbie Freiburg

● Trustee Freiburg shared that the committee met on August 5th to discuss the Library Director’s evaluation.

● The next meeting is scheduled for December 6th at 11:30am at Watts-Midtown.

D) Planning & Community Relations

● The committee met and discussed service opportunities on July 29th. The strategic planning committee is continuing the goal of “TREES” with the “S” addition representing sustainability.

VIII. Foundation Updates – Kathy Lelonek

● Next Meeting: November 14, 2024 at 4:00pm at the Downtown Library.

● Reminder about the Watts BBQ Fundraiser on August 24, from 5-8pm at Watts-Midtown Branch

● The most recent book sale raised over $2k.

● Rotary decided to buy and donate the children musical instruments for Watts-Midtown.

IX. Administrator Reports

● Director’s Report

-Director Campbell is back from medical leave.

-All library locations will be closed for staff development day on August 21st.

-478k hours of summer reading were logged!

● Statistics - None.

● Milan Blackhawk Area Public Library District

o Next Regular Meeting: August 29, at 4pm, at the Southwest Branch

▪ Public hearing of the 2025/2026 Tentative Budget

X. Unfinished Business

1. Art Curation Project – no updates.

2. *Motion to approve the new Attendance Policy (VV) – no updates.

XI. New Business

1. *Discussion about creating an Ad-hoc Board Technology Committee (VV)

● This discussion will be held at the next meeting.

● Finance Director Sager reported that the new financial software will be rolled out in four phases, and will be fully implemented in 2026.

*Represents a potential voting item

2. Trustee Freiburg made a motion to accept the art donation of If We All Held Hands, by Eric Applequist; donated by Peg Christensen. Trustee Russell seconded. The board discussed the art piece and decided it would be best to own it. President Swanson took a voice vote. All ayes, no nays. Motion carries.

3. Trustee Nelson made a motion to approve submitting the CY 2025 Library Budget and capital improvements to the City Finance Department, as discussed. Trustee Freiburg seconded the motion. No discussion. All ayes, no nays. Motion carries.

● Includes 3.5% tax revenue increase to cover cost-of-living and insurance

● Capital Improvements include: Downtown Library bathroom renovations (ground floor); Downtown Library carpet replacement; Downtown Library electrical upgrades; Downtown Library parking lot reconstruction; Downtown Library first-floor renovation, including new service points; Downtown Library wallpaper removal and painting; Downtown Library window replacement.

4. Trustee Freiburg made a motion to send Lisa Lockheart to the Library Marketing & Communications Conference this November in St. Louis, Missouri. Trustee Russell seconded. President Swanson took a roll call vote. All ayes, no nays. Motion carries. (Professional Development funds have been allocated for this and are available.)

XII. Information Sharing

● Board Contact Info & Terms

● Unique Management Reports

XIII. Executive Session

● Trustee Russell made a motion to go into Executive Session for Matters of Personnel 5 ILCS 120/2c Exception 1, “Appointment, employment, compensation, discipline, performance, or dismissal of a specific employee of the public body” at 5:45pm. Trustee Noon seconded. President Swanson took a roll call vote. All ayes, no nays. Motion carries.

● Per the agenda, no vote was taken during open or closed session.

● Trustee Freiburg made a motion to reopen the regular meeting at 6:00pm. Trustee Quarles seconded. No discussion. President Swason took a recorded vote. All ayes, no nays. Motion carries.

XIV. Announcements

● Next Board Meeting – September 17, 2024 at 5pm, Downtown Library

● 50th Anniversary Open House at the Southwest Branch on September 25, 2024, 10a-6p; drop in any time!

XV. Adjournment

● Trustee Freiburg made a motion to adjourn the meeting at 6:02pm. Trustee Quarles seconded. President Swanson took a voice vote. All ayes, no nays. Motion carries.

https://www.rigov.org/301/Agenda-Minutes