Library Board Approved Minutes - January 5, 2023

DeForest Area Public Library Regular Library Board Minutes
Thursday, January 5, 2023 at 6:00 p.m.

  1. Call to Order and Roll Call
    • The meeting was called to order at 6:05 p.m.by Secretary Greg Gorres
    • Present: Gorres, Landgraf, Lawrence, Toetz, Zeimet
    • Absent: Van Iten, Englesby
    • Also present: Jan Berg, Library Director and Christa Tollefson, Assistant Library Director
  2. Approval of Agenda
    • Motion to approve as presented: Landgraf
    • Second: Toetz
    • Discussion: None.
    • Action: All approved.
  3. Approval of Minutes of the December 1st, 2022 meeting
    • Motion to approve the minutes: Lawrence
    • Second: Landgraf
    • Discussion: None
    • Action: All approved.
  4. Public Presentations / Communications
    • None.
  5. Approval of Bills – Berg had emailed out the bill run prior to the meeting
    • Motion to Approve the Bills: Landgraf
    • Second: Toetz
    • Discussion: Berg noted that this should be the last bills of 2022 except for an Amazon bill which arrives on the 10th of the month and has 2022 purchases on it. The section of pre-approved bills is a bit larger than usual. The December meeting was on the 1st of the month so utility bills and some other bills came in. Marcia ran them as a separate report so that the vendors got paid in a timely fashion. A late-arriving utility bill held up the bill run prior to the meeting. MG&E is getting paid in this bill run.
    • Action: All Approved
  6. Reports
    1. Director's - It was a quiet two weeks over the holidays. Things are popping now. People were very appreciative that the library was open on Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve. Traffic was steady both days but the weather was a lot better on New Year’s Eve so many more patrons were stopping in for books, puzzles, board games, and movies.

      Amazon has changed how it does business with organizations like libraries. We had a line of credit through Synchrony Bank. Starting January 10th, Amazon will be giving us a $3,000 line of credit with a 30 net. The billing cycle may have to be adjusted. But all the library’s account history, tax exempt status, and digital content migrated easily.

      Library staff will be meeting next week to generate detailed lists for the big library events – Harry Potter, Harvest Festival, Dinodays, etc. Volunteers can then be used more efficiently to prepare for the events.

      Berg noted that there were $3,694 year-end donations. Berg reported that library staff was already looking ahead to Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve 2023 which fall on a Sunday. Since following the practice of a 3 p.m. closing on those holidays it doesn’t make sense to open at 1 p.m. on Sunday and close at 3 p.m. so if there’s no objection the library will be closed all day on each of those Sundays.
    2. President's - None.
    3. Village Update - Landgraf noted that there wasn’t much on the end of December and start of January village board agendas. He stated that the 2023 library budget does include the new floor covering. The village administrator, Bill Chang is doing a strategic plan for the village and plans on getting public input on their expectations for service in the village. Sewer rates went up because MMSD rates went up. The parental leave addition to the employee manual passed. The caregiver addition was excluded and may be done in the future.
  7. Old Business
    1. Staff Showcase – None.
      • Next month Jessica Svetlik will give a tour of the updated website
    2. 2023 Budget Final Approval
      • The numbers approved in the village board’s resolution approving the library budget were included in the document sent out with the board packet. Those numbers reflect approximately 4% increases for most staff members. A few of the insurance numbers were adjust. The bottom line is slightly higher than the last draft presented. It also includes the flooring for the Story Hour Room.
        • Motion to approve the final budget as presented: Landgraf
        • Second: Toetz
        • Discussion: None
        • Action: All approved.
  8. New Business
    1. Discussion and Possible Approval of changes to Library employee parental leave policy to mirror policy recently adopted by the Village Board.
      • That language was not received so this will be deferred until the February meeting.
    2. Story Hour Room Flooring and Cabinet update.
      • Christa Tollefson, Assistant Library Director walked the board through a power point about the existing condition of the room, the vision for a calmer space, and what it will take to complete the project.
  9. Future Agenda Items
    1. Annual Report
    2. Parental leave policy amendment
  10. Adjournment
    • Motion to Adjourn: Zeimet
    • Second: Landgraf
    • Action: All approved.

Meeting was adjourned at 7:05p.m. Next meeting February 2nd, 2022.

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