OHIO COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY
Members Present:
Mr. Ted Hess, Mr. Tom Stephan, Dr. Charles Julian
Members Absent:
Dr. Roberta DiLorenzo
Also Present:
Dottie Thomas, Director; Louis Horacek, Assistant Director, Brenda Miller, Ohio County Circuit Clerk, Honey Louistau, Jane McLean
Call to order:
The meeting was called to order by Mr. Hess at 7:03 PM
Minutes
Dr. Julian asked that the spelling of Joe Ripoly's name in the portion of the minutes dealing with the Chamber of Commerce be corrected.
Dr. Julian moved that the minutes of the July meeting be approved with the correction. Mr. Stephan seconded.
Vote:
| Mr. Hess | yes |
| Mr. Stephan | yes |
| Dr. DiLorenzo | absent |
| Dr. Julian | yes |
Financial Report:
The financial report was presented.
INVOICES AND WARRANTS
Mr. Stephan moved to approve the financial report and approve payment of invoices and warrants; Dr. Julian seconded. The motion passed unanimously.
DIRECTOR'S REPORT
Ms. Thomas distributed copies of a written director's report (see attachment)
Mr. Stephan asked if Ms. Thomas could find a copy of the last WVLC Statistical report for him.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Ms. Thomas presented a thank-you note received from Ohio County's Promise: The Alliance for Youth.
OLD BUSINESS
Maintenance Contract for Library Heating and Cooling System
Mr. Hess said he had examined the contract with H. E. Neumann and indicated that it had to be formally terminated by either party before the anniversary date of July 1.
Mr. Stephan said that he had compared the contracts. All proposed monthly checks of the equipment. Neumann's also provides for following manufacturer's recommendations for maintenance to keep up reliability of service. Neumann charges for components or parts not serviced as part of regular maintenance; Neidhart would not charge for belts or filters; Johnson Boiler would not charge for any part costing under $100 and with the parts plus the labor costing under $500.
Dr. Julian asked about our current arrangement for filters. Ms. Thomas said that the system has two kinds of filters; bag filters and roller-type filters. The library purchases all filters at an annual cost of approximately $2,000. and H. E. Neumann installs the bag filters while the library's maintenance staff installs the roller filters. The proposals from both Neidhart's and Johnson Boiler include filters and their costs.
Mr. Stephan reported that H. E. Neumann includes overtime and emergency calls in the contract. Neidhart offered 24-hour service, and the contract provided a 10% discount on the cost of any call outside of regular maintenance. Johnson Boiler offered 24-hour emergency service but did not specify how it would be charged. Ms. Thomas said that Neidhart had told her in subsequent discussion that the contract was intended to include 24-hour emergency service.
Dr. Julian said that he would work with Ms. Thomas on a further analysis of the three contracts.
Gates Library Foundation and Carpet Replacement
Ms. Thomas said that the computers were in place and the carpet had been installed over the past weekend. She said that at the next meeting she would would have a proposal for some chairs for the children's area and a small table and chair for Hildebrand Memorial Library.
Mr. Hess suggested that the next Board meeting be held at the Hildebrand Memorial Library, the library's Warwood branch. All present agreed to hold the September meeting there.
NEW BUSINESS
Expansion of Service Hours to Include Sundays and New Schedule for Warwood
Ms. Thomas said that she wished to open the main library from 1 until 5 on Sundays between Labor Day and Memorial Day. The library would be staffed by the Children's Department shelver and the new Warwood clerical position for every Sunday, plus two others from the staff on a rotating basis, one for the circulation desk and one for the reference desk.
Ms. Thomas said that the proposed schedule for Warwood, beginning in September, would be 9-5 on Mondays, 1-8 on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, closed on Friday, and 10-12 and 12:30-4:30 on Saturdays. The library would be staffed by the sole current Warwood employee, Nancy Viewig, who would work Monday 9-5 and Tuesday through Thursday, 1-5, and the new clerk authorized in the 1999-2000 budget who would work Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday 5-8 p.m., plus every Saturday.
Mr. Hess said that the library needed a sign of some sort. Dr. Julian said that he would approach David Whorton at Progressive Bank in Warwood about a sign.
Dr. Julian moved to approve the Sunday hours at the main library. Mr. Stephan seconded. The vote was unanimous.
Dr. Julian moved to approve the new Warwood hours contingent on the new staff member being hired. Mr. Stephan seconded.
The vote was unanimous in favor.
By-Laws Revision to Include the Friends Group
Ms. Thomas said that the old Friends of the Library group had dissolved in the past year and closed out its checking account. A new group had met and elected a president, and begun a membership campaign, but had never opened a checking account. Then the president had resigned, and she and Amy Kastigar had not been able to find anyone willing to take on the job, including opening an account for the organization. Checks received for membership totalled of $2,248 had come the library since that time, and had been deposited in the library's account because there was no Friends of the Library account. The auditors, who had just completed their work, had not seen it as a problem.
Ms. Thomas said that the J. D. Waggoner of the Library Commission, who was the state consultant for Friends Groups, had suggested that the situation could be remedied by making the Friends of the Library a standing committee of the Board of Trustees.
Mr. Stephan and Mr. Hess said that they did not think there should be any connection between the Board and the Friends. Dr. Julian agreed. Mr. Hess said that Ms. Thomas should continue trying to revitalize the group.
Bridge Day
Dr. Julian said that the library should consider what part it could play in the Suspension Bridge sesquicentennial in November, 1999.
Placing Board Minutes on Library Web Site
Dr. Julian moved that the approved Board minutes, beginning with the January 1999 Board Meeting be posted on the library's web site. Mr. Horacek asked if this should include the statistical and financial reports and other attachments, and Mr. Julian said he intended this to be just the report of the proceedings of the meeting. Mr. Stephan seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously.
Ms. Brenda Miller said she hoped the library was very careful in its handling of the Friends of the Library money. Ms. Thomas said that separate, detailed records had been kept.
Dr. Julian asked how the Library Newsletter was distributed. Ms. Thomas said that in addition to being distributed in the library, it was sent to the media and a few other libraries. She said that it was also available on the web site.
Executive Session
Mr. Julian moved that the Board go into executive session to discuss composition of the Board. Mr. Stephan seconded the motion, which passed unanimously, and the Board went into executive session at 8:20.
The Board returned from executive session at 8:40 and Mr. Stephan moved to adjourn. Dr. Julian seconded.