Library Board Approved Minutes - November 3, 2022

DeForest Area Public Library Regular Library Board Minutes
Thursday, November 3, 2022 at 6:00 p.m.

  1. Call to Order and Roll Call
    • The meeting was called to order at 6:03 p.m. by President Kathy Van Iten
    • Present: Gorres, Englesby (had some technical difficulties), Landgraf, Toetz, Van Iten, Zeimet
    • Absent: Lawrence
    • Also present: Jan Berg, Library Director and Michael Sargeant, STEAM Librarian
  2. Approval of Agenda
    • Motion to approve as presented: Zeimet
    • Second: Landgraf
    • Discussion: None.
    • Action: All approved.
  3. Approval of Minutes of the October 6th Meeting
    • Motion to approve the minutes: Zeimet
    • Second: Gorres
    • 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 bill run: Landgraf
    • Second: Zeimet
    • Discussion: Berg noted that there are big bills for children’s books in this month’s bill run. That is because our one and favorite book salesman came by and updated a number of series. Most of the bills are for books. Some are for supplies for all three of the major categories – office, janitorial, and processing. Since CenturyLink has transformed to Bright Speed we don’t have a W-9 for them so they can’t be paid until we get one. Hence, pre-approving with payment to come once the form is received. The children’s librarian will be taking a course on using yoga with little ones in January. Berg used the credit card to register her now since there were only 20 slots.
    • Action: All Approved
  6. Reports
    1. Director's - The Haunted House was a huge success which means the library will have to do it next year. Berg reported there were at least a thousand people at the library that day between the Halloween party, the Haunted Library, and regular library use. Library staff had an after-action review this afternoon which will help planning for next year and help deepen the partnerships with Parks & Rec and the High School. Details for Dinoday which is a week from Saturday were finalized and additions were brainstormed. That should be another excellent day of fun at the library. November 12th from 10 until 1 p.m. volunteers are always appreciated. After Dinoday, things quiet down until Santa arrives and after a brass concert from the mezzanine. Christa met with Stacy from the village to see how we can collaborate and support the plans the village has to promote art and dragons in 2023. There seem to be limitless possibilities.
    2. President's - None.
    3. Village Update - Landgraf reported that he village is looking at an overall 2% increase with the mill rate going down due to a 16% increase in valuation. There was talk about redoing the carpet in the Story Hour room with the comment that people really wouldn’t want their three-year-old crawling around on it. There was also some talk about upgrading the camera system The Administrative Time Off policy was not approved but upgrading the vacation schedule may be approved. Lights at night on the basketball courts are appreciated by the kids
  7. New Business
    1. Staff Showcase – Michael Sargeant, STEAM Librarian
      • Michael talked about how his job has evolved since first coming to work at the library as a clerk about ten years ago. He talked about how the use of the Workshop changed during the pandemic and how he is sending out 200 STEAM kits in a bag each month. Michael answered a couple of questions about which kits were favorites and attendance at programs.
    2. Discussion and Possible Approval of Dane County Library Service Contract for Extension of Library Services.
      • Berg noted that this is the same contract the board sees every year. The numbers are what was anticipated and used in the revenue side of the library’s 2023 budget. Signatures of the president and secretary were needed on the contracts. Van Iten and Gorres will stop by and sign them.
      • Motion to approve the contract: Zeimet
      • Second: Gorres.
      • Discussion: None
      • Action: All approved.
  8. Old Business
    1. Discussion and possible approval of 2nd Draft of the 2023 Library Budget
      • Motion to approve this budget draft: Landgra
      • Second: Zeimet
      • Discussion: None
      • On October 14th, Berg was asked by the village Finance Director, Carol Herwig, to prepare a budget that showed salaried staff getting a 4% increase. The Village Board was interested in seeing what 4% would looked like for employees. As you may recall, I put together a budget in August based on no information from the village. I used the 2.5% for salaries, brought wages up to $13 an hour for most, assumed a 10% increase on insurances and held everything else constant. Until the 17th I didn’t have insurance numbers. Once I had them I plugged what I had into a budget draft and sent it to Carol. What you now have before you is a budget with 4% on salary & wages and the new insurance numbers. Berg noted a decimal point in the wrong place for program line item; it should have been six thousand not six hundred. This budget, with that change, once approved by the library board will be go to the village. The library board will make adjustments once the final village budget is approved unless asked to do something else sooner.
      • Action: All approved
  9. Future Agenda Items
    1. Approval of 2023 Budget
  10. Adjournment
    • Motion to Adjourn: Landgraf
    • Second: Gorres
    • Action: All approved.

Meeting was adjourned at 6:46 p.m. Next meeting December 1st, 2022.

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