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June 2023 Board Meeting Minutes

ADDISON TOWNSHIP PUBLIC LIBRARY BOARD 

MEETING MINUTES Tuesday, June 20, 2023 @ 7:00 P.M.

Call to Order: The Library Board President called the meeting to order at 7:02 PM, in the Addison Township Public Library, 1400 Rochester Rd, Leonard, MI 48367.

Board Members Present: J. Baldiga - Yes, J. Eller - Yes, J. Elsarelli - Yes, K. King - Yes,

  1. Newby - Yes, M. Szost - Yes

Pledge of Allegiance: All in attendance participated

Approval of Agenda:  - J. Baldiga moves to approve the agenda, 2nd by K. King, All in favor, none opposed, motion carries.

Call to Audience: (two minutes per visitor) P. Hacht shared her feelings regarding the information C. Membiela shared.  P. Hacht is assured her concern will be addressed later in the meeting.

Consent Agenda:

  • Approval of May 16, 2023 meeting minutes 
  • Approval of May 2023 bills and expenses as paid

-A motion by J. Elsarelli to approve the Consent Agenda, 2nd by J. Baldiga,  All in favor,  none opposed, motion carries.

Financial Report:

  • Review transfer of New building development funds from operating budget to New Building budget.  Approve new operating budget.
  • Approve signers for the New Building checking account.                                                                                                                                         
  1. Lamsa, CPA reviewed the balance sheet and the separation of the New Building Fund and Operations Fund.  *Treasurer Szost will review this with D. Lamsa, CPA.  Continued review will be presented at the next meeting.  D. Lamsa, CPA, will email the Board the current balance sheets for further review.  

-J. Baldiga moves to have Treasurer Szost authorize D. Lamsa, CPA, to allocate $75,000.00 from millage money to the Operations budget line and only $226,304.45 to LGIP. 2nd by M. Szost.  Roll call vote; J. Baldiga - yes, J. Eller - yes, J. Elsarelli - yes, K. King - yes, J. Newby - yes, M. Szost - yes. All in favor, none opposed, motion carries. *M. Szost will email D. Lamsa permission to make this financial move for tracking purposes.  

-M. Szost moves to approve the Operational budget with the New Building budget to be separate from operations.  2nd by J. Baldiga.  All in favor, say I, opposed?,  none opposed, motion carries.  

Discussion took place about the millage and how that number is calculated. *J. Baldiga will look further into this process with M. Szost.

Signers to the new accounts: Discussion regarding the signatures currently on the bank records. *Revisit next meeting those who are currently listed on the checking account.  New Building Account checking needs to have a Board member on the account. 

- J. Eller moves to update the current New Building Fund account signers to include M. Szost, J. Baldiga, J. Elsarelli, D. Lamsa and remove R. Walker.  2nd M.Szost.   Roll call vote;  J. Baldiga - yes, J. Eller - yes, J. Elsrelli - yes, K. King - yes, J. Newby - yes, M. Szost - yes, none opposed, motion carried.

Director’s Report: 

Outstanding numbers for the month of May with the items loaned out increased, higher traffic with more material loaned out, door count, computer usage (new computers installed, up and running), web site visits and all programming has increased.  Hoopla and TLN usage have been separated for tracking, both show increase.  Summer reading launch shared by K. Greve was overall very successful.  Currently 44 teams have signed up.  Sign up continues until this Saturday.  A correspondence from a patron was received stating how the library is of great importance to their family and appreciation of the library.  Successful Junk in the Trunk sale profiting around $400.00 to general fund balance noted as income. Check received from Michigan Participation Champaign and Millage.  

-J. Baldiga moves to accept the report, 2nd by K. King. All in favor, none opposed, motion carries.

Committee Reports: 

New Building: 

  • Update on site plan application status. -  Civil Engineer continues to work on site plans.  Awareness of the project brought to attention by J.  Elsarelli - Discussion took place. Plans can be submitted to the Planning Commision 60 days prior to review. Depending on the site plan completion date, site work could potentially start in September or November.
  • Acknowledgement of resolution letter from Addison Township for the Site Plan and Special Use approval process.
  • New lot - mowing - Supervisor Pearson has offered to mow the road side for the safety of the community -  Road vision - sight limited - impaired due to the overgrowth. Thank you, Supervisor Pearson.

Public Information: None

Policy:

  • Update on proposed Employee Handbook amendments. - Sections have been delegated for review among the committee  -  progress to continue - *Updates to come

Finance: None

Capital:  

  • HUD Grant updates and learnings. - DRGR = how fema distributes funds - draws are made in reimbursement form following work done.  ER- Environmental Review information part 58 and the library obligations and process - Discussion of the information shared took place.  Information  encourages audit mindset- consider drafting a letter that states when receiving a HUD check it is to be deposited to the New Building Account checking account.  *Process to be developed by J. Baldiga and letter drafted.
  • Letter to investors on the current status of the new library building project. - who does this letter come from is the question.  This should come from the Board as it is a Board project.  *J. Baldiga will develop & mail the final to investors.                  

 - J. Elsarelli moves to allow J. Baldiga to make edits and mail final letters to investors - 2nd by J. Newby - discussion -  All in favor , none opposed, motion carries.



By-Law:

  • Update on proposed By-Law amendments. - broken down in sections to the committee - lengthening article 3 & compatible offices, article 5 duties of officers with powers & duties, additions to LibraryLibrary Director role, article 12 information retention.  *Proceeding in steps beginning with these identified areas. 

Communication: As shared in the Director's report.

Old Business: 

  • Prepare for Millage in 2024

    • Update from Director on discussing support from the Friends of the Library. - *Director to follow up with Friends of the Library.  
    • Information on resources available from Shirley Bruursema. -  *Director did meet with S. Bruursema and will schedule an August meeting time to continue investigating the millage process.  *(Restorative Millage Renewal Committee (At-hawk) - K. King, J. Newby, J. Baldiga established a timeline for millage. Objectives established by J. Baldiga.
  • Letter for donation of storage units - reviewed, *J. Baldiga to send out with corrections as shared.

New Business:

  • Update from Director for potential options of retaining a library law attorney. - *Director researched and reviewed the lengthy list, made contact with 6, phone call meetings scheduled with 3 firms scheduled, looking for policy, document, finance, millage, general counsel advice. (Situational awareness).  J. Elsarelli acknowledged P. Hatcht’s earlier comments of  the intention to obtain a lawyer.  The need of a Lawyer is not to have one on retainer but to review policy and procedure for suit protection for the library, staff, and board.  

Public Forum: L. Hodges addresses the board suggesting a Board Member and Director meet with a phone conference.  L. Hodges is concerned with the adjustments possibly made to Maple Cove with the New Building. Discussion took place. The next  Friends meeting is in August is a busy one, please reach out to them as soon as possible.

Next Meeting: August 15, 2023 @ 7:00 p.m. (unless otherwise posted)

Adjournment: Motion to adjourn by J. Eller , 2nd by K. King  - All in favor - Meeting adjourned at 9:12 PM.