Minutes: December 2020
MINUTES
CLERMONT COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY
BOARD OF TRUSTEES
DECEMBER 14, 2020
MIAMI TOWNSHIP BRANCH
VIA FACEBOOK LIVE
Present: Tony Cardinal, Joe Braun via telephone, Adam Bird, Mary Jo Waite via telephone, Jennifer Doss
Absent: Judith Kocica, Tricia Lyons
Staff: Chris Wick, Maura Gray, Leslie Jacobs, Theresa Herron, Lynn Baird
Guests: None
Mr. Cardinal called the meeting to order at 6:05 p.m.
ROLL CALL:
Roll Call: Tony Cardinal, here; Joe Braun, here; Adam Bird, here; Judith Kocica, absent; Tricia Lyons, absent; Mary Jo Waite, here; Jennifer Doss, here.
Mr. Cardinal asked everyone to stand to recite the Pledge of Allegiance.
NOVEMBER 16, 2020, MINUTES:
Motion by Ms. Doss, seconded by Mr. Bird, to approve the November 16, 2020, board meeting minutes as mailed with one correction of a typographical error: “Because of the increased duties …” All present were in favor. Motion carried.
PUBLIC DISCUSSION:
No public discussion.
Mr. Cardinal appointed Ms. Doss, Ms. Waite, and Mr. Braun to the Officer Nominating Committee. They are to discuss and present a slate of officers at the January meeting.
FISCAL OFFICER’S REPORT:
Ms. Gray presented the December financial report. She also discussed the Libraries annual revenue. The revised state estimate of the PLF is $5.2 million. What the Library received was $5.6 million, which is just below what was received last year. What the Library’s actual revenue was more than the State estimate. She said the Library must continue to be conservative.
Motion by Mr. Bird, seconded by Ms. Doss, to approve the December financial report. All present were in favor. Motion approved.
Motion by Mr. Braun, seconded by Mr. Bird, to approve the December bills paid. All present in favor, except Ms. Doss who abstained. Motion approved.
Ms. Gray stated there were no credit card rewards in 2020.
DIRECTOR’S REPORT
Ms. Wick said the Library has experienced some challenges with the revised mask mandate. The Library is continuing with current procedures and the administration is working with counsel as well as the health department on these challenges.
She said reported on the COVID Defense Team participation. There are 50 to 60 agencies that attend these weekly meetings via ZOOM. The county’s preparation for distributing the vaccine is underway. The county prepared a video to promote wearing masks. Ms. Wick submitted a short clip that was included with the county’s video.
The Clermont County Ohio Governor’s Imagination Library is going well with 3,850 enrolled, which is 28 percent of the eligible children in the county. A Frequently Asked Questions document is being prepared and will be posted to the website.
Library lockers manufacturing is behind schedule. The vendor is having trouble securing the materials needed to build the lockers. The lockers are to be purchased with CARES Act funding, which requires the money be spent and items purchased be received by December 31, 2020. The Library is hopeful the deadline will be extended. If the lockers are not received by the end of the year, money from the General Fund will be used to pay for these items.
The Strategic Plan was distributed to the Board. Ms. Wick feels it addresses input from the public and staff while being flexible and adaptable. It is focused on the Library’s mission and values. The Library will develop goals for 2021 based on the Strategic Plan.
The Library is collaborating with Success by Six, which is part of United Way and the Early Childhood Coordinating Council. These two groups are combining efforts to focus on supporting early childhood development. The Library is helping with a survey of teachers to discover the needs of preschoolers so they can be better prepared for school. This will help the Library prepare early childhood programs that support this effort.
The Library is collaborating with the Messages of Hope program. The goal of the program is to help build resiliency in children, which is based on five messages: encouragement, creativity, love, feeling safe, and quality time. The Library will conduct three virtual storytimes based on those themes and participants will receive a free book, provided by Child Focus which purchased the books with a grant secured by United Way.
The Teacher Collection service has been expanded and renamed the Education Collection service. It is now available to parents and caregivers because so many are home schooling or helping with virtual learning during the pandemic. Amy Buskey, the New Richmond Branch manager, saw this as a need and suggested the change.
The Library is working on a partnership with Clermont Senior Services for programming during Older Americans Month in May.
Ms. Wick discussed how the staff have been using Zoom. She sent the Board a photo of Robin Coleman from the Miami Township Branch, who conducted a tour of the Library using a virtual meeting application. It shows how adaptable the staff has been to make the Library as accessible as possible.
NEW BUSINESS
Motion by Ms. Doss, seconded by Mr. Bird, to approve Resolution R-2020-032: Acceptance of gifts to the Library: donations as listed. All present were in favor. The resolution was adopted.
Motion by Ms. Waite, seconded by Ms. Doss, to approve Resolution R-2020-033: Disposal of unneeded or obsolete library material. Roll call vote: Mr. Cardinal, aye; Mr. Braun, aye; Mr. Bird, aye; Ms. Lyons, aye; Ms. Waite, aye; Ms. Doss, aye. All present were in favor, none opposed. The resolution was adopted.
Motion by Mr. Braun, seconded by Ms. Doss, to approve Resolution R-2020-034: Increase in Appropriation in Coronavirus Relief Fund. All present were in favor. The resolution was adopted.
Motion by Mr. Bird, seconded by Ms. Doss, to approve Resolution R-2020-035: Transfer Cash to Debt Service Fund. All present were in favor. The resolution was adopted.
Motion by Ms. Doss, seconded by Mr. Bird, to approve Resolution R-2020-036: Advance Taxes. All present were in favor. The resolution was adopted.
Motion by Ms. Doss, seconded by Mr. Bird, to go into Executive Session for ORC 121.22 (G)(1) to consider compensation of a public employee(s) or official(s). Roll call vote: Mr. Cardinal, aye; Mr. Braun, aye; Mr. Bird, aye; Ms. Lyons, aye; Ms. Waite, aye; Ms. Doss, aye. All present were in favor, none opposed. The resolution was adopted at 6:25 p.m.
The Board returned from Executive Session at 7:16 p.m.
Motion by Ms. Doss, seconded by Mr. Braun, to approve the 2021 Appropriation Resolution. All present were in favor. The resolution was adopted.
HUMAN RESOURCES
Julie Robinson is the new Human Resources Director. She has been on the job about one month.
Everyone thanked Mr. Bird for his time on the board. The December meeting was his last meeting.
Motion by Mr. Bird, seconded by Mr. Braun, to adjourn the meeting. All present were in favor, none opposed. The meeting adjourned at 7:17 p.m.
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Board President Board Secretary
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