OHIO COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY

BOARD OF TRUSTEES

MINUTES

May Board Meeting

May 13, 2003

Vote:

Mr. Hess	yes
Sr. Mary Jude	yes
Miss Carroll	yes
Mr. Baker	yes

Financial Report:

The financial report was presented.


INVOICES AND WARRANTS

Sr. Mary Jude moved to approve both financial reports and approve payment of invoices and warrants; Mr. Baker seconded the motion.

Vote:

Mr. Hess	yes
Sr. Mary Jude	yes
Miss Carroll	yes
Mr. Baker	yes

DIRECTOR'S REPORT

Ms. Thomas' distributed a written Directors Report. (Attachment #1)

Ms. Thomas also distributed a report prepared by the Children's Department.

Mr. Hess asked Sr. Mary Jude if she had any comments on the Long-Range Planning meeting that she had attended with Ms. Thomas. She said that she was already very familiar with the planning process. She was glad libraries would have the opportunity to use it.  She said that the meeting had provided a great deal of useful material and provided a good basis for starting the process. Mr. Hess asked if the process was mainly a Board responsibility. She said that it would involve primarily staff but also the trustees and community groups.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Ms. Thomas noted that electrical work might be needed to provide the technical services area with more electrical capacity because the area has been suffering brown-outs when all equipment was in use. Since the building was not originally wired for so many computers, additional wiring will probably be required. In addition, Mr. Horacek explained that the reference area where the additional Gates computers from the Warwood Branch will be installed once the new computer tables are delivered will need more electrical outlets and may need more wiring as well. Mr. Hess said he thought the library had usually contacted Erb Electric for electrical needs. Ms. Thomas said she would contact them.

Mr. Hess said that the Board had received, with regret, the resignation of member Dr. Charles Julian, effective May 6. Mr. Hess said that Dr. Julian had been a valuable, effective and productive trustee and would be missed.

Ms. Thomas said that she had received notification from attorney Thomas G. Byrum that the Endowment Trust would receive $10,000 from the estate of Elizabeth Robb. Mr. Hess said he would contact Mr. Byrum to discuss the bequest.

OLD BUSINESS

Checking Account for Capital Funds

Ms. Thomas said that difficulties had arisen with the Capital Money Market account with Wesbanco because it only allowed three checks to be written monthly. She said that she had spoken with representatives of many local banks, and they all had the same  restrictions on money market accounts because of Federal guidelines. She said that the yield on our present account was better than other banks could offer. She said that the only alternative would be to establish another interest-earning checking account with unlimited check-writing privileges into which Capital Money Market funds could be transferred as needed.

Mr. Baker moved that the library establish a separate capital checking account wherever the best terms could be had. Sr. Mary Jude seconded the motion.

Vote:

Mr. Hess	yes
Sr. Mary Jude	yes
Miss Carroll	yes
Mr. Baker	yes

Repair of Sidewalks and Curbs

Ms. Thomas presented quotes for the repair of sidewalks and curbs from Walters Construction and Savage Construction (attached). Sr. Mary Jude moved to have the work done by the lower bidder (Savage). Miss Carroll seconded

Vote:

Mr. Hess	yes
Sr. Mary Jude	yes
Miss Carroll	yes
Mr. Baker	yes

Countertops for Circulation Area and Children's Counter.

Ms. Thomas presented quotes from Herco ($4765), CBI ($5705) and Carney & Sloan ($5645). The last included $76.00 for an additional support leg for the children's counter. Miss Carroll moved to accept the offer from Herco, with the extra support to the children's counter top added at the director's discretion. Mr. Baker seconded the motion.

Vote:

Mr. Hess	yes
Sr. Mary Jude	yes
Miss Carroll	yes
Mr. Baker	yes

Moving the Wheeling Room Collection to the Hess Room

Ideas for the configuration of the Wheeling Room were discussed by the Board, including connecting it directly with the Morrow Room. Mr. Baker suggested that the blueprints for the Morrow Room would be useful.

Mr. Hess asked that the discussion be continued at later meetings.


NEW BUSINESS


2003-4 Budget

Ms. Thomas had sent budget proposals with the board packet.

Ms. Thomas said that she had met with Bob Klug, of BankOne, about the Morrow Estate funds, to consider how much income should be expected from the money. Mr. Hess said that he had also spoken with him about it, and Mr. Klug also told him that the funds would produce approximately $11-12,000 annually.

Ms. Thomas said that she also discussed the Endowment Trust with Jan Shelburne, trust officer at Wesbanco and that the proposed $50,000 income from the Endowment was based upon that discussion.

Mr. Hess said that Ms. Thomas should check to be sure what the financial requirements were to be in compliance with the WVLC maintenance of effort regulations. The library needs to be sure it will not need to sign a waiver. The question is whether we have to budget more than we spent the previous year, more than we received, or more than we budgeted.

Mr. Baker said that building insurance should be double-checked with the library's carrier, as his homeowners had gone up dramatically.

Mr. Hess asked for an income sheet including the previous year's income.

Mr. Hess asked that the expenditure sheet include subtotals for each major category, and also a percentage of the total for each category.

Sr. Mary Jude noted that $300 was included for Warwood rent.

Mr. Hess asked how the increase in retirement was established.

Mr. Hess asked if merit increases were considered.

Mr. Baker said the library should consider moving enough employees to 40 hrs per week to get rid of a position because of the medical insurance costs. He clarified that he was not suggesting that the library lay-off employees, but rather as retirements happen, each position should be carefully evaluated to determine if the position is still necessary, or if it could be eliminated or changed to a part-time position.

Mr. Hess asked for a budget proposal with a 3% COLA.

Executive Session

Sr. Mary Jude moved that the Board go into executive session to discussion personnel and the Board vacancy. Mr. Baker seconded the motion.

Vote:

Mr. Hess	yes
Sr. Mary Jude	yes
Miss Carroll	yes
Mr. Baker	yes

The Board entered executive session at 9:15 PM returned from executive session at 9:40 PM.

Mr. Baker moved that Sr. Mary Jude be appointed Secretary-Treasurer. Miss Carroll seconded the motion.

Vote:

Mr. Hess	yes
Sr. Mary Jude	yes
Miss Carroll	yes
Mr. Baker	yes

The meeting adjourned at 9:45 PM.