Wednesday, August 15, 2007
John Anderson, Tom Bunger, John Irvine, Sara Laughlin, Rita Lichtenberg, Dana Jackson, Geoff McKim, Valerie Merriam, and Richard Rubin.
President Steve Moberly called the meeting to order at 5:48pm.
President Steve Moberly presented the consent agenda items. Steve Moberly and Randy Paul suggested several corrections need to be made to the sets of minutes, including the following:
Fred Risinger moved to approve the minutes with the corrections as presented.
The monthly bills for payment were presented.
Discussion followed relating to delivery charges on page 3 (Wheels Delivery to INCOLSA), credit card feeds, consultant work and hiring consultants outside of the county.
The financial report was presented. Bonnie stated that we are just under the budget.
The personnel report was presented. There were no comments about it.
The Board calendar was presented. Brief discussion followed regarding the November meeting which is scheduled the night before Thanksgiving. The Board will look at other dates and possibly change the date.
Linda Hunt moved to accept all consent agenda items. Fred Risinger seconded. The vote was unanimous.
Cindy Gray stated that we have removed the CATS budget from the library budget. The total budget is $6,667,080.00. Cindy briefly went over the 2008 Budget draft, which included minor repairs to the 2nd floor, additional funds needed at Ellettsville, Rainy Day Fund, and the Capital Projects Fund.
Discussion followed regarding the budget which included staff benefits, and personnel costs.
Randy Paul made a motion to resend the decision from 2006 and to reinstate early retirement benefits.
Steve Moberly clarified that when staff reach 60-65 years of age and retire, the library will pay the same rate that we are paying for regular employees or $416.67 per month (whichever is less).
Penny Austin seconded the motion.
Discussion followed.
Fred Risinger stated he would like to amend the motion and propose an amendment to state "those people who have been here 25 years or more, we will continue to pay their 90% insurance."
Randy explained that it is complicated because it falls by the rule of 65. Steve asked Ginger to speak to the Board about the benefits, how many staff could be covered under the old plan (which involves 22 people), insurance cost involved, and the idea of an insurance cap.
After discussion, Penny stated that she does not want to vote on this motion tonight, especially since we have a budget that has been advertised. Penny added that she would like to look at it further and have the motion tabled. Randy stated he would withdraw his motion. Randy encouraged the Board to look at this again in the next Board meeting.
Fred stated that he liked the idea of a cap, and had hoped the Board could reach an agreement tonight, but if we have to table it and come back to discuss it, he will go along with that.
Steve responded that he thinks it might be well not to make a decision this evening. Steve requested that Bonnie and Ginger look at the numbers again, and consult with the library's legal counsel. Steve acknowledged that we still have time before the actual final decision on the budget which is scheduled on September 12.
Fred moved to table this issue. Penny Austin seconded. The vote was unanimous.
Discussion followed regarding the 3% raise and the living wage. Steve stated when he proposed a 3% across the board pay raise, he though we could do that for staff who didn't get one last year. Those at the top of the salary cap will only receive a 2%.
Randy made a motion to approve a 2% COLA and a 1% increment to staff. There was no second.
Discussion continued regarding a reclassification study. Linda stated she thinks the library is in need of bringing a consultant in for a study. She will support it but doesn't want to debate it.
Steve Moberly asked Ginger to address the issue of a study. Ginger explained that a study would compare jobs to each other, the education requirements, responsibilities, and compare salaries to our community and libraries in large. Generally HR does a study every 5 years. The last one our library had was in 2001.
Randy stated that the reclassification is still be debated in the Solutions Plus committee meetings. Randy made a motion to postpone the wage study and not to conduct it in 2008 so that we can delete $50,000 from the budget. Fred seconded.
Discussion continued as the Board discussed the $50,000 cost involved for a study. Randy asked for a roll call and Steve asked Sue Sater to call.
There were 2 votes yes, and 5 votes no. Randy and Fred voted yes. Penny, Steve, Linda, John, and Janice voted no.
Josh Wolf presented a report on Children's Services, which included information on children's programs, the summer reading program, homework help, first grade tours, the Children's Services staff, and a partnership with COPSL at IU (who help coordinate student volunteers for specific jobs), and a partnership with Downing Center at IU (which is promoting a reading program on their own, but Children's Services will help with the program).
Steve Moberly announced that there will be a Budget Work Session needed on 9/5 (not 9/12 as listed on the Board calendar).
Discussion followed regarding a health benefit committee. The Board decided that this would be an agenda item to discuss at the September 5 work session.
Cindy Gray presented the DLGF letter, and stated it was in the newspaper today.
Brief discussion followed regarding using the money on the Ellettsville Branch. Steve encouraged the Trustees to discuss this at the September 5 work session too.
Randy reported that he and Penny attend Solutions Plus meetings. Randy stated that he gets a feeling from staff that there needs to be some leadership shown on how we address things internally. Randy encouraged the idea of a Board retreat.
Discussion followed regarding the idea of a retreat.
Steve requested Penny and Randy to prepare a report on Solutions Plus for the Trustees.
Steve called Sara Laughlin to the podium to present a request from the Friends of the Library.
Sara spoke on behalf of the Friends relating to an author event they are preparing. She announced that the first ever fundraiser for the Friends beyond the bookstore is scheduled on November 16 with author Luis Urrea. Per the Friends Board, Sara requested permission to use the library's atrium after hours, as the event will begin at 8:00pm, and permission to serve alcohol at the event.
Sara stated that the Friends Board have reviewed the meeting room policy, and feel it doesn't apply to them or library events. The policy doesn't say anything about alcohol, and while the Friends know the library is a drug-free place, they would like permission to serve alcohol at the event. Sara stated that the Friends Board plan to hire a caterer who has a liquor license.
Trustees presented questions to Sara relating to the day of the week for the event (which is a Friday night), the number of people expected to attend the event (50-100 people), safety issues involved (blocking off the atrium stairs), and money exchange (there will be no money exchanged in the library facilities).
Fred moved to give permission to approve the request to hold the Friends event in the library after hours, and permission to serve alcohol. John Walsh seconded. The vote was unanimous.
John Irvine spoke to the Board regarding staff morale, the living wage, a study classification of job positions, and how good the dialog was in tonight's meeting among the Board. John encouraged the Board to continue.
Valerie Merriam thanked the Board for getting microphones for the public meetings so the public could hear the Board discussions better. Valerie also thanked Randy and Penny for their support of staff benefits
John Anderson spoke to the Board regarding health insurance and staff benefits, and the last comp study (study of job classifications) at the library. John stated the study was less than $50,000 (it actually cost $14,000).
Dana Jackson spoke to the Board regarding insurance and benefit concerns. Dana expressed her concerns about the library paying a lot of money for a study and outsourcing it. Dana encouraged the Board to consider using volunteers for a study, including persons from IU, which would help control technology costs.
The meeting adjourned at 7:59pm.
Contact
Us Monroe County Public Library, Monroe County, Indiana ° (812)349-3050
Updated:
September 18, 2007
° http://www.monroe.lib.in.us/board/200708min.html
