LA CROSSE COUNTY LIBRARY BOARD MEETING MINUTES

 

November 5, 2008

Onalaska Public Library Meeting Room

741 Oak Ave S

Onalaska  WI  54650

 

4:47 PM

 

MEMBERS PRESENT:

Loren Caulum, Glenn Seager, Mary Bach Filla, Barbara Manthei, George Varnum, Fred Marini

MEMBERS NOT PRESENT:

Andrea Richmond

OTHERS PRESENT:   

Christine McArdle Rojo, Library Director; Judy Jamesson, Library Secretary

CALL TO ORDER:

President Loren Caulum called the meeting to order at 4:47 pm.

 

ROLL CALL:

Board members Loren Caulum, Glenn Seager, Mary Bach Filla, Barbara Manthei, George Varnum, and Fred Marini, were present.  Andrea Richmond was excused.

 

APPROVAL OF THE MEETING AGENDA:

Motion by Barbara Manthei/Mary Bach Filla to approve the agenda as written.  MOTION carried unanimously with one excused, Andrea Richmond.

 

PUBLIC INPUT:

No public input at this time.

 

APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES:

Motion by Glenn Seager/Barbara Manthei to approve the October 1, 2008 minutes as written.  MOTION carried unanimously with one excused, Andrea Richmond.

 

APPROVAL OF  NOVEMBER 2008 EXPENDITURES:

Motion by Barbara Manthei/Fred Marini to approve the November, 2008 expenditures.  MOTION carried unanimously with one excused, Andrea Richmond.

 

ACCOUNT ADJUSTMENTS:

Chris McArdle Rojo requested adjustments to the following accounts:

 

1)

When materials are lost or damaged by a patron the patron is charged for the cost of replacing the item.  Chris would like to adjust Revenue account 54035 Reimbursement for Lost and Damaged Materials and Expense account 61504 Audio Visual by $534.00 to cover the replacement of a number of items.

 

2)

The number of patrons being sent to our collection agency is higher than anticipated resulting in the depletion of the Expense account 64131 Collection Services with three months left in the fiscal year.  Since collection activity results in materials being returned and fines being paid our Revenue account 53060 Library Fees and Fines has garnered more than the budget estimated.  Chris would like to adjust Revenue account 53060 Library Fees and Fines and Expense account 64131 Collection Services by $405.00 to cover the current overage in collection expense.

 

3)

Due to credits from 2007 billing errors and changes to Yellow Pages advertising there is expected to be a balance in the telephone account at the end of the year.  The Office Equipment Lease account is over budget because existing leases for copy machines ran into and through 2008 after Balanced Deployment began.  Chris would like to adjust $562.00 from Expense account 68050 Telephone to Expense account 75030 Office Equipment Lease to cover the overage and the remaining copier lease.

 

4)

Expense account 72060 Property Insurance was over-estimated for 2008 so Chris would like to use the remaining balance of $295.30 to cover shortages in the following accounts:

 

 

a)

Expense account 72005 Basic Liability which was under-estimated for 2008 by $92.00.

 

 

b)

Expense account 75060 Office Rent was short by $91.37 as lease negotiations for the Holmen Area Library were not complete before the budget was approved.

 

 

c)

Expense account 71025 Personnel Recruitment over budget due to an unexpected union vacancy and the new cost of background checks.

 

 

d)

Expense account 69075 Mileage Reimbursement (non-employee) went over budget by $20.95 when gas prices caused Summer Program performers to charge more for travel to La Crosse County.

 

Motion by Barb Manthei/Fred Marini to approve all four account adjustments.  MOTION carried unanimously with one excused, Andrea Richmond.

 

2009 BUDGET:

The executive committee of the La Crosse County Board had no concerns so far with the Library budget including the money to be set aside for the Farmington/Mindoro library.

 

Chris returned to the topic of fines for overdue materials.  La Crosse County Libraries charge $1 per day for overdue DVDs and videos.  Fines for all other materials are 10˘ per day.  Most of the other WRLS libraries charge between 10˘ and 25˘ per day for all materials, including DVDs and videos.

 

Motion by Fred Marini/Glenn Seager to bring the fines for DVDs and videos down to 25˘ per day and increase the fines for audio books to 25˘ a day.  After discussion the motion was amended to include all multi-media material in the 25˘ per day fine except print items (books, magazines, etc.) which will remain at 10˘. MOTION carried unanimously with one excused, Andrea Richmond.

 

CODE OF CONDUCT – UNATTENDED CHILDREN POLICY:

Social workers in the Family & Children Unit of the La Crosse County Human Services Department recommended considering children under the age of 10 years left alone at the library as unattended; meaning that the parents are not in the building or easily contacted.  They also said if children are frequently left alone at the library or are in an unsafe situation, i.e. the library is closing and no one has come to pick up the child, that the police should be called.  Action by Social Services can only be taken if there are police reports of an incident.  The board members agreed that regardless of age, any minor who was well behaved would not require police attention even if unattended unless safety was an issue, and any unattended minor causing a disruption could result in a call to the police. 

 

Motion by Barbara Manthei/Glenn Seager to establish age 8 in the policy for unattended children.  MOTION carried unanimously with one excused, Andrea Richmond.

 

WRLS/COUNTY AGREEMENT:

Chris has contacted Kelly Kreig-Sigman at La Crosse Public Library and they have agreed to work together on the WRLS/County Agreement.  Chris has asked David for copies of the agreements the other counties have developed.

 

ROTARY FOOD COLLECTION:

The local County Union is again working with Rotary Lights to collect food donations at County locations.  Last year we provided boxes at each branch to collect food items that were brought in.  This year Chris has suggested offering to waive fines for patrons who bring in food donations.  One food item would cancel up to one dollar in fines.  The fines could only be La Crosse County Library fines and would not include lost or damage fees or accounts that were in the hands of our collection agency. This would appeal to patrons with older fines that are keeping them from using the library.  The board encouraged publicity for the event.  A firm date for the event has yet to be determined.

 

Motion by Fred Marini/Mary Bach Filla to waive fines in return for food during a time period to be chosen by Chris.  MOTION carried unanimously with one excused, Andrea Richmond.

 

MINDORO & FARMINGTON UPDATE:

The Farmington Town Board is in negotiations for a parcel of land for their new township offices, fire & police departments and library.  The Friends of the Mindoro Library has completed the paperwork for incorporation and has made application for non-profit status.

 

FACILITY AND COMMUNITY UPDATES:

The Bangor Library will miss the administrations of Thomas Severson, Street Superintendent in the Village of Bangor.  Thomas had taken very good care of the library as part of his duties in Bangor, from clearing snow to changing light bulbs for 28 years when he passed away recently.  The Library Board will send a card to his family.

 

The Village of Holmen offered to purchase St. Elizabeth’s Church but the diocese declined to sell at this time. 

 

Onalaska’s construction is on schedule and a meeting on Thursday, November 6 will set the date for the Onalaska closing.  The tentative dates are December 8, 2008 through early February, 2009.

The contractors found moisture in the new construction at the north end of the building and a plan to address the moisture will be put into place.  The City has approved a new roof for the old part of the building.

During construction mice and bats have gotten into the building.

 

Campbell was open additional hours during the election on Tuesday, November 4th.

 

 

FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS:

Evaluation forms for the Director

John Parshall, head of Information Technology

Code of Conduct – Unattended Children Policy

 

ADJOURNMENT: Meeting was adjourned at 6:21 pm.

 

RECORDED BY:  Judy Jamesson.  Minutes may be amended or changed at the next meeting.