September 2005 Board Minutes

Thorntown Public Library

124 N. Market St.,
Thorntown, IN 46071
Phone: 765-436-7348 Fax 765-436-7011

President Eric Ragsdale called the meeting to order at 6:05 pm. Members in attendance were Teresa Carter, Patty Ramsey and Linda Yoder. Also present were Library Director Karen Niemeyer and Treasurer Barb Darnell.

Teresa moved the acceptance of the August 8 secretary’s report with the addition of several claims reported by Treasurer Barb Darnell. The additions are: $500.00 to Mary Schrier as earnest money for the Wyant property, $325.00 to Steve Hill for repair work on the stairway banister, $50.00 to Kris Driessen as a deposit for the quilt program, $75.00 to Bruce Bridgham for cleaning, $2,154.61 to John Alden Life Insurance for health insurance, and $246.38 to Vectren. Patty seconded, and the minutes were approved. Patty then moved the acceptance of the minutes of the August 17 executive session and regular session, Teresa seconded, and the minutes were approved.

Barb presented the financial report, showing August operating receipts of $28,513.35 and disbursements of $33,609.88. The ending cash balance is $96,249.11, and the total of cash and investments is $386,226.71. Receipts include $5,055 from a prior year grant for the wireless network. We anticipate receiving approximately $100,000 in operating fund tax money around Christmas time. COIT provides the funds for 2/3 of our bills each month. Libraries are encouraged by the Indiana Dept. of Local Government Finance to have half their annual budget in reserve, which for us would be about $250,000. We are well above that and it is our intention to maintain a reserve in the event of a delayed tax draw. Because of the reserve, we did not have to borrow and pay the resulting interest last year when tax payments were delayed. The next CD withdrawal will come by December 29 in order to make the bond payment. Both property closings are scheduled this week, so only one withdrawal was required from the 4.9% certificate of deposit. That should give us one more withdrawal before we have to close it out.

The Board then considered the Claims Register. One of the items discussed was the payment for Karen’s health insurance. She is reimbursed for her cost under a different policy than that used by the library. Since the total cost is less than what we would have to pay, it is a good deal for the library. Linda moved the acceptance of the Claims Register, Patty seconded, and the motion was approved.

Under old business, Karen reported that we close Wednesday at 10:30 on the Martin house and Thursday at 1 on the Wyant/Schrier house. Kelly Woods has been working weekends on cleaning up the properties under a work release program.

Kevin Smith offered to clean up the apple trees for $20 each, and Karen would also like to have him work on the Bradford pears. Patty moved we have the $70 check ready for him when the work is completed and is acceptable to Karen, Linda seconded and the motion was approved.

There have already been several expressions of interest in purchasing the Wyant property. Patty moved that we take the preliminary steps, such as appraisal and survey, if necessary, to prepare to sell. The property will have to be divided into two sections. Teresa seconded, and the motion passed.

Karen displayed the new AED machine. There was a question about liability, but word from John Merson is that it will not be a problem. Training will take place September 22. Karen noted that the battery is not rechargeable.

Hinshaw Roofing was contacted again today and we were told that a workman will stop by tomorrow. There are some additional spots they have agreed to check.

Our insurance agent has been told we are closing on properties and will need the binder. Jeremy Lamar would like to offer a competitive bid although our current policy doesn’t expire until February. Eric will check with Dick Galvin to see if we can, or should, provide him with a copy of our current policy or just the general information. If we rent either of the new properties, the cost will be higher for insurance since rental property insurance is more expensive than just liability.

Four positions on the board need to be confirmed. The paperwork is in process for Eric and Deanna, and Teresa will take her paperwork to the County Council for approval. Linda is not continuing for another term, so the board discussed possible replacements. Since the county commissioners meet this month, Karen will try to have a recommendation by then.

Karen will meet with Tri-Area Library staff and board to discuss a cooperative working relationship.

Under new business, since there were no objections at the public hearing and the budgets have all been reviewed by the Department of Finance, Linda moved the acceptance of all 4 budgets (operating, library improvement reserve, lease rental,rainy day) for 2006, Teresa seconded, and the budgets were approved. Included in the motion was a resolution to reduce the 2005 LIRF and Rainy Day budgets by $6834 and $2567 and to include those amounts in the 2006 budgets.

Karen recommended approval for 5 staff members to attend 3 classes at Bloomfield Elementary School. By driving in one car to attend these sessions, we can save substantially on registration fees. Linda moved we approve $675 for professional development, Patty seconded, and the motion passed.

Three items were added to new business: The T-1 line consortium, SAVI, and mileage rate increases.
1. Karen suggested that we might want to commit to another year of the T-1 line and Internet provided by the State. The state library is forming a consortium, which will take new bids on the cost each year. As it stands now, the line is free to us through June 30, 2006, and it could possibly be continued free for the July 1-June 30, 2007 period. We must budget for the price, which is more than using a DSL line through Frontier, but since we don’t actually have to pay it, it makes more financial sense to go with the familiar. Our responsibilities in the consortium include: filtering all computers, including the total cost in our budget and filing all the forms, all of which we are currently doing. Linda moved we join the PLIC (Public Library Internet Consortium), Patty seconded, and the motion passed.
2. The Polis Center at IUPUI provided a Memorandum of Understanding on behalf of the SAVI (Social Assets and Vulnerability Indicators) Community Information System. In return for appropriate training, the library would serve as a SAVI community resource center. SAVI provides statistical information in a wide variety of areas such as health, crime, and public information. The Memorandum of Understanding is good through January 15, 2006, and there is no cost to the library. Patty moved we accept the Memorandum of Understanding, Teresa seconded, and the memorandum was approved.
3. Since the federal mileage rate increased from 40.5 cents per mile to 48.5 cents per mile, Linda moved that the library increase its mileage rate proportionately from 34 cents to 42 cents until the end of 2005. Patty seconded, and the motion passed.

In the Director’s report, Karen reported that the carpet cleaning will be done on September 24. We are spending an additional $120 to get most of the chairs cleaned also. A quote was received for all of the non-moveable window cleaning and Bonnie Deakins has been washing the other windows on a regular schedule of a few at a time. The fountain fund is now at $6,846.56. We got rid of the portable phone system, and the staff is pleased with the replacement. Next Monday will be an all day quilting program, we now have two councils for children and youth, and the Brown Bags and Better Books have moved their meeting to an earlier time so they don’t compete with another program. We had two acts of vandalism, one by egg throwing, requiring clean up, and the other a hole in a storm window, apparently from either a BB or a rock. Karen will contact Troy Whitaker to see about repairs to the storm window. The annual business entity reports can now be filed on line, so they were done much more quickly. Karen will attend the Lebanon time capsule ceremony to get ideas for our own ceremony. She also discovered that we cannot legally withhold unpaid debt from an employee’s final paycheck. As an informational item, there are four pages of statute changes just for libraries.

We are being encouraged by the phone provider to get a maintenance contract, but the board continues to believe it is not necessary.

The Community Foundation made its annual request for a membership/contribution. Patty moved we contribute $200, the same amount as last year, Teresa seconded and the motion passed. Eric abstained from the vote since he is the current president of the Community Foundation.

With regard to the flood repairs and the report received at the last meeting from our architects, it was decided to get specific figures before making any decisions. The board is not enthused about large expenditures to fix the problems. We did purchase a small sump pump, but it is not by any means a long term solution. The pig booms have arrived and Karen is looking into spill blocker dikes.

The meeting was adjourned at 8:00 on a motion from Linda and a second by Teresa.