River Forest Public Library Board reviews fiscal matters

By Wadi Reformado

Oct 31, 2016

River Forest Public Library Board of Trustees met Tuesday, Sept. 20.

Here are the minutes as provided by River Forest Public Library:

Meeting Minutes: Regular Board Meeting: September 20, 2016

Call to Order: At 7:30 pm President Smedinghoff called the regular meeting of the River Forest

Public Library Board of Trustees to order. The roll was taken:

• Trustees Present: Calabrese-Berry, Hill, O’Connor, Smedinghoff and Zobel.

- Trustee Bevan arrived at 7:35 pm.

• Trustees Excused: Crowell

• Also Present: Sue Quinn (RFPL Director), Joanna Bertucci (RFPL Materials & Business

Services Manager), Amy Grossman (Children’s Services Manager)

Visitors and Guests:

None

Minutes

July 19, 2016 – Regular Board Meeting

Trustee Calabrese-Berry moved to accept the minutes of the July 19, 2016 regular board meeting. Trustee Zobel seconded the motion and a vote was taken.

Ayes: Bevan, Calabrese-Berry, Hill, O’Connor, Smedinghoff and Zobel

Excused: Crowell

September 12, 2016 – Board Retreat

Trustee Zobel moved to accept the minutes of the September 12, 2016 board retreat.

Trustee Calabrese-Berry seconded the motion and a vote was taken.

Ayes: Bevan, Calabrese-Berry, Hill, O’Connor, Smedinghoff and Zobel

Excused: Crowell

July & August Treasurer’s Report

• July 2016 Warrant List: Trustee Calabrese-Berry moved to accept the July 2016 warrant list. Trustee Zobel seconded. There was discussion of one item:

- Question regarding the services performed by S&D Maintenance and Complete Cleaning Company. Director Quinn explained that Complete Cleaning Company performs our daily building cleaning and S&D Maintenance provide bi-monthly maintenance and handyman service to the library.

- A roll call was taken and the motion carried.

• Ayes: Bevan, Calabrese-Berry, Hill, O’Connor, Smedinghoff, and Zobel

• Excused: Crowell

• August 2016 Warrant List: Trustee O’Connor moved to accept the August 2016 warrant list. Trustee Bevan seconded. There was discussion of three items:

- Trustees commented on materials purchasing.

- Question regarding the replacement of air dryer unit by Oak Brook Mechanical. Director Quinn explained that the air dryer is a component of the HVAC system. This item was a capital expense as it will extend the service life the HVAC system.

- Question regarding the Gale Database renewal. Director Quinn explained that this is annual renewal.

- A roll call was taken and the motion carried.

• Ayes: Bevan, Calabrese-Berry, Hill, O’Connor, Smedinghoff, and Zobel

• Excused: Crowell

• Revenue Report: Trustees commented that property tax revenue has been received for the second installment of the 2015 tax bills. Additionally, Trustees noted that the Per Capita Grant has been received.

• Expense Report: No questions.

• Balance Sheet: Trustee Bevan spoke to the question regarding the collateriazation of money market funds at the Forest Park National Bank from the July 19, 2016 meeting. Trustee Bevan explained that our money at the Forest Park National Bank is over the FDIC limit. Funds in excess of the FDIC limit are collateralized through bonds with a 3rd party bank.

Communications

Trustees were pleased to see a compliment to Adult/Teen Services Librarian, Dorothy Houlihan and thanked her for her efforts.

Patron program suggestions were discussed.

Director’s Report.

• Technology

- 5 remaining staff computers and 6 adult public computers will be replaced during this fiscal year.

• Finance

- The RFPL has paid $5,302.75 towards an unemployment claim for a former employee. The total cost of the claim will be 7,130.00 for 26 weeks of unemployment benefits.

• Fundraising

- A $5,000 plaque for the garden seat wall has been ordered. A $2,500 plaque is in the design stage.

- The Foundation has received $625.00 from its most recent appeal letter.

• External Relationships

- Director Quinn attended the RF Administrator’s Forum on September 13, 2016. The RF Library will not be a part of the Village initiative to partner on telephone and internet service.

- Director Quinn attended the OPRF Community Business Manager’s Meeting on September 14, 2016. The RFPL will present budget and financial information to this group at the March 2017 meeting.

- On November 14, 2016 Janet Hanley, President of Mission Accounting will present on financial statements to the joint boards of the RFPL and the OPPL.

• Organization Structure/Training and Staff Development

- The Library was closed on Friday, September 9, 2016 for a staff in service day. Mary Kay Akers-Stiff, Manager of Adult Services, delivered an orientation presentation to staff on library values, patron privacy, and RFPL procedures. The presentation was very well received and will be incorporated into orientation and onboarding procedures for new staff.

- Joanna Bertucci presented department managers with a manager’s manual for recruiting, hiring, and evaluating, staff.

Staff Visit and Report

Children’s Services Manager, Amy Grossman, presented on Summer Reading and Strategic Planning goals for the children’s department.

Ms. Grossman thanked her staff for their efforts and thanked the other library departments who support Children’s programs and initiatives.

With regards to the strategic plan, the juvenile collection circulation numbers are off to a strong start. Tumblebooks usage was added to the preschool circulation goal.

Programming for all age groups has been steady.

In the coming months the Children’s Department will plan and host Family Fireside Halloween, Stories with Santa, Noon Year’s Eve Party, and Donuts for Dads. A program featuring a literary musical is being planned for the spring.

Patrons are still complimentary of the picture book browser bins and circulation of these materials is strong.

Staff will continue to weed and re-order titles. Children’s Librarian Melissa Funfsinn will be weeding and selecting new titles for the non-fiction collection to insure accuracy.

Children’s Services staff members have been viewing webinars from the ALSC (Association for Library Service to Children) Virtual Conference.

New Business

• Committee Reports

- Finance Committee:

Trustee Bevan reported that the finance committee met in August. The committee discussed 5 year budget projections, operations reserve fund balance, capital reserve fund balance, and policies related to finance.

Director Quinn is working on 5 year budget projections and is predicting that revenue will remain flat and expenses will continue to increase.

As per our auditor’s recommendation, capital expenditures (capital items over $500 and those that extend the life of a capital system) will be paid for directly from the capital reserve fund money market account.

Capital expenses for FY 16-17 that were previously paid for out of the operations budget have been adjusted and funds from the capital reserve fund have been transferred into the operating fund reserve to cover those

expenses.

Trustee Bevan created a new capital reserve needs spreadsheet that is sortable and will allow Administration flexibility in prioritizing projects and marking others as discretionary. Director Quinn, and Ms. Bertucci have been working through the list identifying completed items and prioritizing upcoming projects.

The operations reserve fund can currently fund between 12-14 months of library operations. Financial policies need to identify target levels of both the operations and reserve fund balances.

The committee also discussed the possibility of moving money into timed deposit accounts (CDs) looking to maximize return on investment coordinating with future needs.

- Facility Committee

Trustee Calabrese reported that the facility committee did not meet in August 2016. Computers will continue to be replaced.

- Policy Committee

• Trustee Hill reported that the policy committee condensed sections VII, VIII, X, and XI of Section II Patrons of the policy manual. Consistent with the committee’s previous work, procedural items were removed from the policy.

• Section IX Code of Conduct was brought forth from the committee. A Board discussion regarding disruptive behavior related to alcohol or drug use, the policy will go back to committee for further review.

• Trustee Hill brought the motion forward from committee asking the Board to approve changes to Patron sections VII, VIII, X, and XI, Exhibits/Foyer Displays, Community Bulletin Board, Child Safety, and Public Comment. Trustee Calabrese-Berry seconded the motion.

- A roll call was taken and the motion carried.

Ayes: Bevan, Calabrese-Berry, Hill, O’Connor, Smedinghoff, and Zobel

Excused: Crowell

2016 Strategic Plan Goals and Measures

A final version of the 2016 Strategic Plan Goals and Measures was presented to the Board. Trustee Calabrese-Berry moved to approve the 2016 Strategic Plan Goals and Measures, Trustee O’Connor seconded, and the motion passed unanimously.

2016 – 2017 Director Goals

Director Quinn presented a final version of the Director Goals. Trustee Hill moved to approve the Director Goals, Trustee Zobel seconded, and the motion passed unanimously.

Board Retreat Outcomes

Trustees were positive about 9/12/16 Board Retreat and discussed the future scheduling of Board retreats. Director Quinn will share the notes from the Facilitator as soon as they are available.

Executive Session

At 9:15 pm Trustee Calabrese-Berry motioned that the Board move into Executive Session as per 5 ILCS 120 Sec. 2(c) to approve executive session minutes and their release. Trustee O’Connor seconded, and the motion passed unanimously.

At: 9:22 pm Trustee Hill moved to reconvene the Regular Board meeting. Trustee O’Connor seconded, and the motion passed unanimously.

Trustee Hill reported that during the Executive Session the Board reviewed the closed session minutes from the following meetings:

June 17, 2014

April 21, 2015

October 20, 2015

December 15, 2015

January 19, 2016

March 15, 2016

April 2, 2016

Trustee Hill moved to approve the release of the following closed sessions:

June 17, 2014

April 21, 2015