OHIO COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY
April Board Meeting
April 10, 2001
Members Present:
Mr. Ted Hess, Mr. Tom Stephan, Sr. Mary Jude Jochum, Dr. Charles Julian,
Miss Sally Carroll.
Members Absent:
None
Also Present:
Dottie Thomas, Director; Louis Horacek, Assistant Director. Michelle Blum, reporter.
Call to order:
Mr. Hess called the meeting to order at 7:00 P.M.
Minutes
Dr. Julian moved that the minutes of the March meeting be approved as distributed. Mr. Stephan seconded the motion.
Vote:
| Mr. Hess | yes |
| Mr. Stephan | yes |
| Sr. Mary Jude | yes |
| Dr. Julian | yes |
| Miss Carroll | yes |
Financial Report:
The financial report was presented. Ms. Thomas said that the expenditure to American Sanitary that Mr. Stephan had asked about at the March meeting had been for restroom partitions.
INVOICES AND WARRANTS
Mr. Stephan moved to approve the financial report and approve payment of invoices and warrants; Sr. Mary Jude seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously.
DIRECTOR'S REPORT
Ms. Thomas distributed a written director’s report.
Announcements
Ms. Thomas said that after the last meeting, when the expected decrease in state funding had been discussed, a patron had donated $15,000 to make up the lost funds.
Dr. Julian noted that the next WVLC meeting would be April 20 at Dunbar. The next meeting after that will be June 15 at NTTC in Wheeling. Dr. Julian asked if the Board wished to sponsor a reception the night before that meeting.
Mr. Hess reported that Ohio County Circuit Clerk Brenda Miller had reappointed him to the Library Board for another term.
Dr. Julian reported that he had access to all new census data.
OLD BUSINESS
Athena Upgrade
Mr. Horacek reported on new equipment acquired, and that once two older computers had been upgraded to Windows 98, the automation system would be upgraded.
WVLA Spring Fling
Ms. Thomas said that she and Youth Services Specialist Brigitte Mazure had attended the Spring Fling conference. She noted that the WVLA Annual Conference would be October 29,30, 31 at Canaan Valley.
NEW BUSINESS
Fund for Unrestricted Gifts
Mr. Stephan said that the slogan "Living Library" used in the library construction campaign could be used. He suggested calling it the Living Library Fund.
He said that any unrestricted gifts could be directed to this fund. He wondered if the $15,000 just received could be used this way.
Mr. Hess said that the Board should wait for the bequest from the Estate of Jane Fritz that was expected to come this summer to start this fund. Dr. Julian said that the donor of the $15,000 had wanted the money to go into the operating funds to make up for the loss in grants-in-aid.
Mr. Hess said that the Board would have to decide where to invest the money.
Sr. Mary Jude suggested going with a different institution.
Ms. Thomas that the Board needed a statement of objectives and purposes for the fund.
Sr. Mary Jude asked how much would be received from the Fritz Estate. Ms. Thomas said it was over $200,000. Mr. Hess noted that in 2003 the Morrow Trust would terminate and the library would have another large amount of cash to use without restriction.
CAPITAL PROJECTS
Dr. Julian said the Board should consider extending paving along the side of the driveway to increase parking. Ms. Thomas said she agreed. Miss Carroll said that if parking off the pavement was being permitted, then the No Parking signs should be taken down. Mr. Hess said that he would find out who owns the property.
2001-2002 Budget
Ms. Thomas distributed a proposed budget for 2001-2002.
She noted that the income reflected a drop in population of 3,444.
Dr. Julian said he wanted a table comparing the proposed budget with the current budget.
Dr. Julian noted that amount budgeted for materials had not gone up as much as he thought costs for these items, particularly periodical subscriptions, would. Ms. Thomas said she expected to drop some periodical subscriptions because the journals were available online through ProQuest and InfoTrac.
Mr. Stephan asked Ms. Thomas to check on the expected income from the endowment. He said it might be lower because of the performance of the stock market.
Mr. Hess said that on materials the Board should note that for the first time ever the collection was over 100,000 items.
Ms. Thomas said that the capital improvements list was not yet ready. She said that the maintenance staff had suggested a fence along the sidewalk on Eoff Street because of the sharp drop-off there.
Dr. Julian suggested redecorating the Meeting (G.E.D.) Room.
Dr. Julian moved to adjourn. The meeting adjourned at 8:30 P.M.