LA CROSSE COUNTY LIBRARY BOARD MEETING MINUTES

December 5, 2008

Onalaska Public Library Meeting Room

741 Oak Ave S

Onalaska  WI  54650

4:46 PM

CALL TO ORDER:

President Loren Caulum called the meeting to order at 4:46 pm.

ROLL CALL:

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

APPROVAL OF THE MEETING AGENDA:

Chris McArdle Rojo suggested allowing item #4, County IT Support and Pricing, to float since the IT Director John Parshall had not yet arrived.  Motion by Andrea Richmond/Mary Bach Filla to approve the agenda as suggested. 

MOTION carried unanimously with one excused, Glenn Seager and one absent, Fred Marini.

PUBLIC INPUT:

No public input at this time.

APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES:

Motion by Barbara Manthei/Andrea Richmond to approve the November 5, 2008 minutes as written.  MOTION carried unanimously with one excused, Glenn Seager and one absent, Fred Marini.

APPROVAL OF  DECEMBER 2008 EXPENDITURES:

Motion by Andrea Richmond/Barbara Manthei to approve the December, 2008 expenditures.  MOTION carried unanimously with one excused, Glenn Seager and one absent, Fred Marini.

CODE OF CONDUCT- UNATTENDED CHILDREN POLICY:

Based on suggestions made by board members at the November Library Board meeting changes were made to Article 17 of the Code of Conduct.  The language was changed to be more positive.  Changes in wording were also proposed at this meeting. Chris will incorporate them and present the code again in January for the board’s approval.

Fred Marini arrived at 4:55

DIRECTOR’S EVALUATION MATERIALS:

The County has created new forms this year for evaluating County Staff. Chris delivered packets of the new evaluation materials to all the board members to complete and return to Loren Caulum for compilation.  He will tabulate the results before the January meeting where the board will go into closed session to do their yearly evaluation of the Director’s performance. 

MINDORO & FARMINGTON UPDATE:

The Farmington Town Board is waiting for a survey of the land they plan to use for the new Community Center. Once the  town’s attorney approves the survey planning for the road may begin.

The County Board approved $50,000 to be added to the library budget for 2009 to be used for staffing, materials and programming for the new library.  The 2010 budget will carry forward that $50,000 and set an additional $50,000 aside if the state allows.

FACILITY AND COMMUNITY UPDATES:

Santa will be visiting Holmen, West Salem and Onalaska on December 6^th as part of the Youth Services programming and the Friends of the Bangor Library will sponsor an appearance by Santa at the Bangor Library during their Book, Bake and Craft Sale. 

On December 6^th, in Onalaska, the Friends of the Library will serve treats and Library Dog will be there to close up the library and lock the doors.  Onalaska will re-open February 11, 2009.

The Friends of the Campbell Library will have a bake and craft sale on December 6^th.

The Friends of the Onalaska Library have offered to pay for half of the AV equipment for the meeting room if the City of Onalaska will pay for the other half. The cost of the equipment is estimated at $15,000. They are also raising funds for a statue for a patio to be built just outside the new Children’s area.

West Salem experienced a major water problem when the cold wind during the night of November 21, 2008 caused a water pipe to freeze and break.  Staff arriving the next morning found a great deal of water on the floor, soaking the carpet and ruining hundreds of books.  Wooden furniture and shelving were also damaged.  Barbara Manthei, Library Board member, and her husband Dennis, President of the Village of West Salem were there as soon as they heard to help clean up the mess.  The library staff put in many hours over the Thanksgiving weekend to remove the water-logged books from the shelves and a Village crew moved shelves themselves so the carpet could be removed.  The cause of the problem was a damper that stuck open, allowing the cold wind to blow onto the pipe that broke.  In a coincidence the same thing happened in the Onalaska library the same night.  The only thing that prevented the same kind of damage was the fact that a sensor had been installed that turned off the furnace and prevented the breakage.  A similar sensor will be installed in West Salem.

FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS:

Code of Conduct Policy

Director’s Evaluation

County IT Support and Pricing

ADJOURNMENT: Meeting was adjourned at 5:53 pm.

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