Library Board of Trustees Meeting Minutes

Library Board of Trustees
Board Meeting
Monday, January 11, 2021

PRESENT:
Frank Brady, Kathleen Capelli, Heather Crocker, Kristin Dart, Terence Diggory, Janet Lindner, Issac (Ike) Pulver, Eric Blackman, Tara Chhabra, Laura Clark, Jennifer Ferriss, Don Flinton, Jennifer Ogrodowski, Ric Taras

ABSENT:
Minita Sanghvi, Carmen Vasquez

Meeting Called to Order at 5:05 PM

Approval of December 14, 2020 Meeting Minutes and December 18, Special Meeting Minutes:
Motion by Terry Diggory, second by Katie Capelli. All in favor. The motion carries.

Approval of Expenditures:
Motion by Janet Lindner, second by Katie Capelli, approved the December Pre-paid Checks # 68492 - 68495 totaling $1,126.16, the January Warrants/Checks # 68496 - 68575 totaling $113,196.88.

Approval of Financial Reports:
Discussion:

• Friends of the Library have not paid rent for the past three months.
• Professional services include lawyers' fees, payment of consultants working on the strategic plan, and payment of the auditors.

Motion by Katie Capelli, second by Heather Crocker, approved the following financial reports as presented:

• December Prepaids and January Warrant Summary Sheet
• Budget Report
• Income Statement

All in favor, motion carries.

Gifts:
Three gifts in the memory of Paul Schneider and Antoinette Godlewski were given to the library.
Motion to accept the gifts by Frank Brady, second by Katie Capelli. All in favor, motion carries.

President's Report:
None

Public Comment:
None

Correspondence and Communication:
Frank Brady discussed recent emails he received through the public portal. The first was a complaint regarding towing on a recent day when plows were called in to clear the parking lot of snow. The complainant stated that she had arrived to pick up her car before the 5 P.M. deadline. However, library staff indicated that the 5 P.M. deadline had passed. Signage warning the public that the lot would be closed were up for two days prior to the snow removal operation.

The second complainant asked why the library had not been closed as soon as the metric for closing had been reached, as provided for in the library's COVID-19 response plan. It was explained to the complainant that the plan was a guideline that provided library staff with some discretion and that the plan gave staff a 72-hour window to prepare for a full closing once the metric was reached.

Director's Report:
The closing of the library to the public follows the guidelines recently adopted by the board and is for the protection of the public and library staff. Staff are working remotely, still answering phones, emails, and continuing online educational programming. Some staff are taking time off, both paid and unpaid. New partnerships in the community are being investigated so that books can be delivered by organizations that are already involved in outreach, such as the EOC, schools, and programs for seniors.

It is not clear which stage library workers fall under for vaccinations for COVID-19. Ike and Kristin Dart will look into this issue. The library's community room has been offered to the county health department as a site for vaccinations.

The library will not be able to offer tax preparation services this year, but will provide a list of resources in the community for those who need assistance.

The current presentation of use statistics is currently not very useful due to changing conditions under pandemic guidelines. Ike and staff will look at new ways to look at trends in library use.

The draft of financial statements for the library's annual audit is being prepared. There will be some procedural findings this year related to the approval process, due to the addition of a treasurer and account clerk.

A focus group of community leaders is scheduled for next Wednesday morning as part of strategic planning. The sustainability focus group will be rescheduled.

Saratoga Reads' launch date is next week.

Special/Committee Reports:
None

Old Business:
Reopening Status and Strategic Planning were again discussed in the Director's Report.

New Business:
Tara Chhabra requested board approval for updates to the Employee Handbook. The first was a change in language regarding Crediting of Vacation and Sick Leave to indicate that updating of leave credits will occur "on or around" January and June 1st rather than precisely on those dates.
Motion by Kristin Dart, second by Frank Brady. All in favor, motion carries.

The second update was to make the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA)leave extension to 3/31/21 official.
Motion by Katie Capelli, second by Heather Crocker. All in favor, motion carries.

Meeting Adjourned at 6:15 pm

Respectfully submitted by:
Janet Lindner, Board Secretary