Kankakee Times

Bradley Public Library District Board of Trustees met April 20.

Here are the minutes provided by the board:

President Bayer called the meeting to order at 6:00 p.m.

Trustees Present: Karen Bayer, Madonna Benoit, Lucson Edme, Connie Hendrickson, Terri Jones, Jonathan Shinabarger (Arrived 6:15 p.m.)

Also Present: Jodie DePatis, Director; Marie Cowden, Recording Secretary; Nickolas Allen, Prospective Trustee

APOINTMENT AND SWEARING IN OF NEW TRUSTEE:

Motion was made by President Bayer to appoint Nickolas Allen as trustee of the Bradley Public Library. Madonna Benoit seconded the motion and motion carried by unanimous vote. Recording Secretary, Marie Cowden swore in new Trustee Nickolas Allen.

APPROVAL OF MINUTES:

Trustee Edme made a motion to accept the minutes of the March 16, 2022 Regular Library Board meeting. Trustee Benoit seconded the motion and motion carried by unanimous vote. Trustee Jones made a motion to accept the minutes of the March 16, 2022 Executive Session. Trustee Edme seconded the motion and 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 $40,785.58 for the month of March 2022. Trustee Edme seconded the motion. Motion carried by roll call of 6 ayes, 0 nays, 1 absent.

DIRECTOR’S REPORT:

(Statistical Reports Attached)

Director DePatis stated the following:

• Programs: Prom Pop-up shop on April 9 had 45 students attend with 70 dresses given away. BBCHS, Kankakee, and Peotone high schools had the highest number of students attend with students coming from as far away as Watseka and North Newton HS in Indiana. BBCHS Best Buddies also came on April 11 and 23 more students got dresses. Hatching eggs from a farm in Wilmington arrive today with an estimated hatch date of May 10. May will be a light programming month for the Youth Services Department as they prepare for this year’s summer reading program: Read Beyond the Beaten Path. Application is completed for the summer lunch program through the Northern Illinois Food Bank. Dates are June 6- August 12. Lunches must be consumed on site this year and will be served Monday-Friday from 11:30am-1:00pm.

• Continuing Education: Allison, Olivia, and Barbara completed 6 hours of education this month.

• Grants: The erate forms 471 (request for funding) for 2022-23 has been filled out to request 80% funding for Internet service. Project Next Generation and Expanding Digital Inclusion quarterly grant reports completed.

• Finance: The bulk of our operating money has been moved to the new account at Peoples Bank of Kankakee County and we are now writing checks from the new account. An updated ACH form has been completed and sent to the Kankakee County Treasurer so future tax deposits will be made to the new bank accounts.

• Services: We have added Mary Maciejewski as a notary for nights and weekends. We now have 7 notaries on staff.

• FOIA: Received one request from ABC 7 regarding book challenges since January 2018. We have not had any book challenges.

• Technology: Computer upgrade continues with all the staff computers having been upgrades and several of the adult public computers. The new b&w printer for the public has come in. We also had to purchase 2 new receipt printers since our new computers do not work with the very old receipt printers. The new hotspots are in circulation with 7 new ones purchased with grant funds and 6 being no cost replacements for old hotspots through Mobile Beacon. The BBCHS Yearbook online access project completed in March was promoted via Facebook for National Library Week on April 7 and has had a reach of 33,000 in just 2 weeks with a lot of positive feedback.

COMMITTEE REPORTS:

• Friends of the Library Liaison: President Bayer stated upcoming book sale is April 21-23, 2022. On Thursday, April 21, the book sale would be open for Friends of the Library preview in the evening and upon the book sale closing at noon on Saturday, individuals would come to pick up unsold books. Food pantry project in partnership with Bradley Bourbonnais Community High School is nearing completion and should be available next month.

UNFINISHED BUSINESS:

• Coronavirus Re-Opening Plan Update: Masks continue to be optional for both patrons and staff. Plastic barriers previously installed at Circulation Desk and Children’s Department desks will remain.

• Statement of Economic Interests: Director DePatis reminded board members that still needed to complete their statement of economic interests to do so before the deadline of May 1, 2022 to avoid fines imposed after that date.

NEW BUSINESS:

• Property Tax Allocation: Director DePatis informed that the property tax allocation for the library for 2020 was an increase of approximately 2%.

COMMUNICATIONS/CORRESPONDENCE: None

ADJOURNMENT:

At 6:36 p.m. President Bayer made a motion to adjourn. Trustee Edme seconded the motion and motion carried by unanimous vote.

The next regularly scheduled board meeting will be Wednesday, May 18, 2022 at 6:00 p.m.

https://www.bradleylibrary.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Board-Meeting-Minutes-April-20-2022.pdf