Alpha Park Public Library Board met Sept. 19.
Here is the minutes provided by the Board:
1. CALL TO ORDER
The regular meeting of the Alpha Park Public Library District Board of Trustees was called to order at 7:01 p.m. Monday, September 19, 2017, in second floor meeting room #3, President Kyle presiding.
Members Present: Shondra Johnson, Crystal Kyle, Mary Ann Gottlieb, Jennifer Hattermann, Tamara Ruth, and Tom Stagg.
Members Absent: Sandy Lingenfelter
Staff Present: John Richmond and Patti Borland.
Public Present: Amy Benecke Mclaren, County Engineer
2. PUBLIC AND AUDIENCE COMMENTS
Amy Mclaren reported on the retaining wall on the south side of the parking lot. The county has engaged an engineering firm, but this early in the process. In 2018 they hope to have funds to replace the wall. The money comes from the motor fuel tax. The county is responsible for 100% of the wall’s replacement. Amy Mclaren will relay updates through John.
3. FORMATION AND ACCEPTANCE OF CONSENT AGENDA
President Kyle presented items #4 (Minutes), #5 (Financial report & expenditures), 11B (Budget & Appropriation Ordinance #17-5), for the consent agenda.
A motion was made by Trustee Stagg and seconded by Trustee Ruth to accept items nos. 4, 5, 11B in the consent agenda.
The motion passed by a unanimous roll call vote.
4. MINUTES
Resolved, That The Minutes Of The July 17, 2017, Regular Meeting Be Adopted As Amended.
The motion passed under the consent agenda.
5. FINANCIAL
Resolved, That The Financial Report For August Be Accepted And That Expenses For August In The Amount Of $15,252.85 And Expenses For September In The Amount Of $19,162.12, For A Total Of $34,414.97, Be Approved For Payment.
The motion passed under the consent agenda.
6. PRESIDENT’S COMMENTS
President Kyle thanked staff and patrons for handling the parking lot repair with few interruptions.
7. COMMITTEE REPORTS
A. Finance Committee
President Kyle reported a finance meeting had been held last week to address changes that need to be made to the working budget. The revised budget will be presented to the board next month.
B. Building & Grounds Committee
Trustee Ruth said the parking lot should be finished Wednesday. The Capital Projects budget needs to be adjusted to see exactly what funds are left for additional projects. One remaining original HVAC unit (1985 building) needs to be replaced. The west wall, 1985 portion, needs to be stripped of vinyl wallpaper, which retains moisture, and repairs must be made to the inside wall. These two items should be the next priorities.
C. Marketing
Trustee Hattermann reported there was a meeting on September 13. Whether or not the “Summer in the Park” program will continue next year remains to be seen. The library has received payment for the village’s half of the cost.
Will LaChance, the Adult Services Librarian, has put together graphics for flyers, facebook, website, etc., for the ROI (return on investment) information. The board would like it updated with the FY16/17 information before it is shared with the public.
A committee was formed to discuss an annual appeal, as a fundraiser. Cash flow/income from January through May is limited. If there is time, this year APL may try a crowd funding campaign, and not a direct mail effort. Suggestions from the board included Amazon Smile; inviting the public to donate directly to a bank account that would be set up; and encouraging Caterpillar matching donations, (making sure that Cat employees know they need to fill out paperwork for the Caterpillar Foundation). Director Richmond will check with the Community Foundation of Central Illinois to find out if they have a list of matching donor employers in the area. APL recently received a gift of $750, to be matched by the Cat Foundation, for a total of $1,500.
West Peoria has a newspaper, the “Community Word,” to which staff may be able to submit articles with information about programs, etc., at APL. Will is following up on this.
D. Safety Committee
Trustee Stagg met with Director Richmond and Will LaChance to discuss updating the disaster plan. This will be given to the board to approve when it is finished. Also, updated information about Code Adam procedures is on its way. Will is researching active shooter policies to include in the disaster plan.
8. LEGISLATIVE NEWS
New legislation has been passed and signed into law regarding awarding bids. The amount has gone up from $20,000.00 to $25,000.00.
9. DIRECTOR’S REPORT
1.) Will reports on the online newsletter: There are more clicks and click-throughs to various links embedded in the newsletter. Around 12% of all users clicked on one link. The links led to various items including APL’s catalogue, Facebook and Instagram pages, and sections of APL’s website.
“Opens” are remain about the same with around 20% opening/reading the newsletter for at least 30 seconds.
APL has used Constant Contact (i.e., our newsletter program) for a year, with three of those months being "Research & Development." It has been a total success. Alpha Park is doing better than our industry average in most areas, with our “industry” being "non-profit."
2.) Phil Lenzini, APL’s attorney, has been named a “Library Luminary” by the Illinois Library Association. To quote from ILA: “Illinois Library Luminaries honor those who have made a significant contribution to Illinois libraries and whose supporters make a contribution of at least $2,000 to the Illinois Library Association Endowment on their behalf.” Various individuals, and some libraries, made contributions. Mr. Lenzini represents over 200 libraries around the state.
After comments from various patrons about having to walk around the library to the front doors from the north lot, staff opened the staff entrance, covered up book sale items, and locked the door into the staff hallway /kitchen/lounge. In response to staff concerns about safety, librarians and reference assistants are walking through the north end of the library on a regular basis. It’s not ideal having the north door open, but it has been an exercise in maintaining good will with the public. The north (staff, or overflow) parking lot has never been used as well as it has been recently.
3.) Heidi and Will have reviewed the summer park program (not including the three concerts, which were definite successes). The other program, including games, book checkouts, et al., attracted 120 people, with various games played and 360 items checked out. Heat was an issue, off-and- on, and the week that the carnival was in town, APL’s program shut down. It was a good try, but whether or not giving it another go next year is an open question.
4.) The Friends are paying for 15 new lightweight chairs, and a caddy on which they can be stacked and moved around, for meeting room 3 (aka the story time room). Sara requested new chairs months ago. We have ordered from a local supplier, once again. The new chairs and fatigue mats the Friends bought for the Circulation desk area are in place.
5.) On Wednesday, October 19, APL will have cookies, popcorn, and drawings for prizes throughout the day, along with displays of history/memorabilia of and from the library district’s first 45 years [as a district library]. The Friends are contributing $200 toward this. It will be a low-key, but all-day, open house honoring APL’s 45 years.
10. COMMUNICATIONS
11. UNFINISHED BUSINESS
A. Capital projects
B. Budget & Appropriation Ordinance #17-5
This was approved in the consent agenda.
12. NEW BUSINESS
A. Ordinance Levying and Assessing District Tax #17-6
A motion was made by Trustee Ruth and Seconded by Trustee Johnson to approve the Ordinance Levying and Assessing District Tax #17-6.
The motion passed by unanimous roll call vote.
B. Review of Personnel Handbook
A committee was established to review the Personnel Handbook. This will come back to the board for approval, with a tentative date set for the February, 2018, meeting. The entire personnel policies need to be examined and updated. The attorney will review the draft to be presented to the board.
13. COMMENDATIONS
The board decided to recognize the APL staff every quarter to show their appreciation for the hard work that they do.
President Kyle is a new grandmother!
Director Richmond and the Board of Trustees commended the Friends of the Library for purchasing chairs and anti-fatigue mats for the Circulation Department, and are looking forward to the new chairs for the upstairs meeting and story hour room.
14. COMMENTS
Trustee Gottlieb asked if the board sends thank-you cards to people who volunteer for the library. The board decided to implement this practice.
Trustee Gottlieb asked if a card from the board could be sent to recognize Phil Lenzini, our attorney, as he has been named a “Library Luminary” by the Illinois Library Association.
15. ADJOURNMENT
There being no other business, the meeting was adjourned at 8:25 p.m.
http://www.alphapark.org/images/Board/minutes%209-18-17.pdf
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