Kankakee Times

Bradley Public Library District Board of Trustees met Aug. 18.

Here are the minutes provided by the board:

President Bayer called the meeting to order at 6:02 p.m.

Trustees Present: Karen Bayer, Brendan Diamond, Lucson Edme, Connie Hendrickson, Catherine Rodgers

Trustees Absent: Madonna Benoit

Also Present: Jodie DePatis, Director, Terri Jones (prospective trustee), Jonathan Shinabarger, (prospective trustee), Marie Cowden, Recording Secretary

ACTING SECRETARY Trustee Edme was appointed Acting Secretary in the absence of Trustee Benoit.

APPOINTMENT AND SWEARING IN OF NEW TRUSTEES:

Trustee Rodgers resigned her position on the board.

Trustee Ponton has moved from the Bradley Public Library District. Recording Secretary, Marie Cowden swore in new Trustees Jones and Shinabarger.

BOARD RE-ORGANIZATION

∙ Elect Vacant Board Officer Position(s):

Trustee Bayer made a motion to elect Trustee Diamond to the Vice President position. Motion carried by roll call of 6 ayes, 0 nays, 1 absent.

∙ Appoint New Trustees To Committees:

Trustee Jones appointed to Personnel and Salary committee.

Trustee Shinabarger appointed to Budget/Finance committee. Trustee Edme made a motion to accept these appointments. Motion carried by roll call of 6 ayes, 0 nays, 1 absent.

APPROVAL OF MINUTES:

Trustee Bayer made a motion to accept the minutes of the July 21, 2021 Regular Library Board meeting. Trustee Diamond seconded the motion. Motion carried by unanimous vote.

Trustee Diamond made a motion to accept the minutes of the July 21, 2021 Executive Session. Trustee Edme seconded the motion. Motion carried by unanimous vote.

PUBLIC COMMENT: None

FINANCIAL REPORT AND APPROVAL OF VENDOR PAYMENTS: Trustee Bayer made a motion to accept the Treasurer’s Report as submitted and to accept Vendor Payments in the amount of $39,543.52 for the month of July 2021. Trustee Edme seconded the motion. Motion carried by unanimous vote.

DIRECTOR’S REPORT:

(Statistical Report Attached)

Director DePatis stated the following:

Continuing Education: Kankakee County Health Department came out to do Narcan training on August 10th with 9 staff members completing the training. A staff meeting was held on August 13th in the afternoon with 14 staff members attending. In addition to general library information and training, staff watched ¾ of Ryan Dowd’s initial Homeless Training workshop.

Grants: All of the items for the 2022 Project Next Generation grant have been ordered. We expect the last of the items to arrive in September.

Marketing: Work on the new logo continues. After putting out a request for proposals, the field has been narrowed down to 2 designers. One will be chosen this week with project completion expected in about 4 weeks.

Programs: The last mobile pantry was held on August 4th serving 70 households with 9 volunteers. The 2nd and last vaccination clinic was held at the same time with 13 people participating. Fall programming sessions will start September 13th. There are a few programs including pop-up storytimes being held in August.

Technology: We have contracted with Biblioboard to put all the BBCHS yearbooks that were digitized last year online. Final content has been sent in to Weblinx to be put into our new website.

COMMITTEE REPORTS:

Friends of the Library Liaison: Trustee Bayer reported than an upcoming book sale is planned for August 26, 27, 28th. Thursday, August 27th is a Friends Preview night. A member of the Friends is interested in taking paperbacks that do not sell for use in a prison library.

UNFINISHED BUSINESS:

∙ Coronavirus Re-Opening Plan Update: Due to Kankakee County having substantial cases of COVID-19, library staff are required again to wear masks. This change is due to HR Source lawyer recommendation. Library patrons are recommended to mask but are not required. Staff not feeling comfortable assisting unmasked patrons at a safe distance can opt to ask the patron to put on a mask. Most library operations are back to normal except toys not being offered in the Children’s area. Children’s programming will continue to be outside or in the Drassler meeting room to allow for safe social distancing.

∙ Health Insurance Renewal: Director DePatis presented 4 scenarios for the upcoming October 2021 health insurance renewal. Plans were discussed and a motion was made by Trustee Bayer to keep the current plan but increase employee contribution to $14.00 per week. This increase would be $1.50 per week. Motion carried by roll call of 6 ayes, 0 nays, 1 absent.

∙ Library Use Policies: Sec. 3, Pt. 2-Fines: Motion made by Trustee Diamond to change Circulation of Materials Fines policy from Fines to Overdue Materials. Motion carried by roll call of 6 ayes, 0 nays, 1 absent. New Overdue policy would take effect September 1, 2021.

∙ Director Evaluation: Trustee Bayer passed out performance evaluations to evaluate Director DePatis at July meeting. She requested that 2 evaluations missing be returned to her by next week.

NEW BUSINESS:

∙ FY2022-23 Budget and Appropriations Ordinance (21-02): Trustee Jones made a motion to accept and Trustee Shinabarger seconded. Motion carried by roll call of 6 ayes, 0 nays, 1 absent.

∙ Naming of Conference Room: Director DePatis stated that Frances Wertz, a retired local educator willed the library upon her death a monetary sum that was partly used to construct a new conference room within the library. Motion made by Trustee Edme and seconded by Trustee Diamond to name the newly constructed conference room the Frances Wertz Conference Room. Motion carried by roll call of 6 ayes, 0 nays, 1 absent.

∙ Library Use Policies: Sec. 9, Pt. 1-Meeting Room: Policy was updated and approved by legal committee. Trustee Edme made a motion to accept and Trustee Diamond seconded. Motion carried by roll call of 6 ayes, 0 nays, 1 absent.

∙ Mortgage Refinance: Topic discussed and agreement made that research of possible lenders will be reviewed and discussed at next meeting.

COMMUNICATIONS/CORRESPONDENCE: Board thanked Trustee Rodgers for her years of service and welcomed new Trustees Shinabarger and Jones.

ADJOURNMENT:

At 7:03 p.m. Trustee Hendrickson made a motion to adjourn.

The next regularly scheduled board meeting will be Wednesday, September 15, 2021 at 6:00 p.m.

https://www.bradleylibrary.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Minutes-August-18-2021.pdf