Kankakee Times

Bradley Public Library District Board of Trustees met July 19.

Here are the minutes provided by the board:

President Bayer called the meeting to order at 6:05 p.m.

Trustees Present: Nick Allen, Karen Bayer, Madonna Benoit, Lucson Edme, Brandon Hawkins, Ellie Rorabaugh (Arrived at 6:10), Liz Yolich

Trustees Absent: None

Also Present: Jodie DePatis, Director

APPROVAL OF MINUTES:

Trustee Hawkins made a motion to accept the minutes of the June 21, 2023 Regular Library Board meeting. Trustee Benoit 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 $47,857.03 for the month of June 2023. Trustee Yolich seconded the motion. Motion carried by roll call of 7 ayes, 0 nays, 0 absent.

DIRECTOR’S REPORT:

(Statistical Reports Attached)

Director DePatis stated the following:

• Building/Maintenance: Matco has made all the repairs, and the sprinkler system is back in service.

• Programs: Summer reading is going strong with minutes read so far this summer at least doubling last year’s numbers. BPL received a $1,000 donation from Dow which will be used to purchase bikes as grand prizes for the Summer Reading Program and for new books and museum pass prizes for a back to-school family book bingo program. Summer programs are done at the end of July. The Youth Services Department will take a break during August to reset and get ready for fall programs to start right after Labor Day. Adult programs will also be reduced in August to plan for fall programming. The first mobile Family Market on July 6 served 109 families before we ran out at the end. The next mobile pantry is set for July 27 from 5-6:30pm. We gave out 4 Narcan kits in June.

• Grants: BPL was awarded a FY24 Per Capita Grant in the amount of $18,219.20. The final quarterly report for the PNG FY23 grant was submitted. BPL was awarded a FY24 Project Next Generation grant in the amount of $15,360.00. Programs for this year include monthly programs for teens using our makerspace equipment, hiring Teen Technology Ambassadors to assist with pop-up makerspaces, Saturday adult-tween STEM programs, and after school robotics, coding, and engineering programs for upper elementary students.

• Personnel: Two PT Circulation Clerks retired, Deb Wilder and Dorothy Robinson. Information Services Assistant Barbara Dubravec left for a position in another non-library organization. Circulation Clerk Kindra Morrison was promoted to Information Services Assistant and Youth Services Assistant Cassidy Elmer was promoted to full time status. We are posting for 2 part-time Circulation Clerks and 1 part time Youth Services Assistant for afterschool programs.

• Technology: Biblioboard had 348 yearbook views in June.

• Legal: The 2% Building and Maintenance Levy notice was published in The Daily Journal on June 28. Petitions are due July 28 and are available at the circulation desk. The FY2024-25 Budget and Appropriations hearing notice was published in The Daily Journal on July 17 and posted in the library. BPL received a FOIA request from NBC regarding book challenges but we had no responsive records.

COMMITTEE REPORTS: None

UNFINISHED BUSINESS: None

NEW BUSINESS:

• FOIA Policy Update: Updated current information. Trustee Allen approved and Trustee Edme seconded. Motion carried by roll call of 7 ayes, 0 nays, 0 absent.

• Banking and Investments: Discussion of consolidating the library’s funds to increase interest earnings. Trustee Edme made a motion to authorize Trustees Allen and Bayer to consolidate our investments into interest bearing accounts in Midland States Bank, Peoples Bank, and Illinois Funds. Trustee Benoit seconded and motion carried by 7 ayes, 0 nays, 0 absent.

COMMUNICATIONS/CORRESPONDENCE: None

ADJOURNMENT:

At 6:37 p.m. Trustee Rorabaugh made a motion to adjourn. Trustee Yolich seconded the motion and motion carried by unanimous vote.

The next regularly scheduled board meeting will be Wednesday, August 16th at 6:00 p.m.

https://www.bradleylibrary.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/Board-Meeting-Minutes-July-19-2023.pdf