MINUTES OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF THE PLATTEKILL PUBLIC LIBRARY: February, 2018

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Plattekill Public Library

Board of Trustees

February 8, 2018

           

The meeting was called to order at 7:04 PM with the Pledge of Allegiance.

 

Present were: Lynne Ridgeway, President; Valerie Smith, Vice President; Trustee; Will Farrell,  Trustee; Luz Ledesma, Trustee;  John Georghiou, Director; Barbara Jacobini, Treasurer; Donna Ebanks, Secretary

 

Excused: Karen Adamson

 

Public: SUT reporter, Mark Reynolds; Laura Dougherty.

 

Public Comment:

Laura Dougherty asked when the Board meeting minutes for November and December 2017 would be posted on the Library’s website.  Barbara noted that the December and January minutes are pending corrections. John said the November 2017 minutes are now up on the website, however, a copy of the minutes are available by request at the Library prior to posting on website.  Ms. Dougherty also requested clarification on the Library’s policy for obtaining bids for large purchases or services, and a separate question regarding a possible discrepancy on the cost of the water testing proposal that was discussed at the January Board meeting.  Lynne will provide clarification to the former at the March Board meeting and Valerie will reply to the later via email.

 

Mark Reynolds asked if the water testing report has been received by the Board; Lynne said that it had not.

 

Correspondence:

Copies of a letter from a patron praising the Library were distributed to all Board members

 

Secretary’s Report:

Barbara requested that under Financial Reports the December minutes be amended to reflect the following changes:

·       Page 2, paragraph 4, second line, the word “will” should be changed to “may.”

·       The first motion on page 4, under Financial Report, should read as follows:

Motion to move $1,500 from payroll line item to operations line item and

$1,500 from government costs benefits line item to the operations line item was made by Joe Egan and seconded by Luz Ledesma; all others were in favor.

 

Valerie requested that the third sentence of the last paragraph on page one of the January minutes be amended to read as follows:

Valerie said that there are different understandings of what moving ahead consists of.

 

Joe Egan arrived at 7:12 PM

David Padilla arrived at 7:00 PM

 

 

→        Motion to accept the revised December minutes as stated was made by Valerie Smith and seconded by Luz Ledesma; David Padilla abstained and all others were in favor.

 

→        Motion to approve the January 11 Board meeting minutes as amended was made by Luz Ledesma and seconded by Will Farrell; David Padilla abstained and all others were in favor.

 

Financial Report:

Barbara reviewed the financial report for the Board.

 

John proposed that the following full-time clerks: Angie Antzak, Barbara Jacobini, Donna Ebanks, and Marisol Gerena, receive an hourly salary of $16.75 for 35 hours per week of work.  He also requested that the page position of Matthew Cline, be increased to the current minimum wage of $10.40 per hour and part-time clerks Wendy Massalone, Caitlin Cacciatore, and Michael Drago all receive the current minimum wage of $10.40 per hour as well. John recommended that Ruth Jantzi receive and hourly rate of $11 per hour, and paraprofessional Melissa Haselton receive and hourly rate of $13 per hour.

 

Bookkeeper Barbara Jacobini noted the proposed hourly salary increase amounts for the four fulltime employees as read by John was incorrect and should be $17.75 per hour.

 

The Board engaged in a discussion regarding the established budget and the proposed employee raises.

 

→        Motion to approve the salary adjustments as proposed was made by Valerie Smith and seconded by Luz Ledesma. Motion failed

            Yay:     Luz Ledesma               Nay:     Joe Egan          Recused:    Will Farrell

                        Valerie Smith                          David Padilla

                                    Lynne Ridgeway

Items of note:

·       Barbara reported the tax levy check from the Town was received this week in the amount of $446, 257. 59 and has been deposited.

·       All Disclosure of Conflict of Interest and Code of Ethics forms must be returned to Barbara this month.

·       Approval of major budget line items must be accomplished at this Board meeting.

·       A Budget & Finance Committee meeting is tentatively scheduled for Thursday, February 22, at 6:30 PM.

·       Recommendation to have the 2019 February Board meeting later in the month.

·       The State auditor recommended the Budget & Finance Committee meet quarterly to review the Budget vs. Actual reports to make any necessary adjustments.

 

·       Per David’s request, the bookkeeper’s report includes a list of the total monies in the bank at the end of the year prior to receiving the tax levy money.

·       The Budget & Finance Committee should evaluate how the Library handles the contingency fund.

 

→        Motion to approve the Budget of $446, 779.97 as written was made by Joe Egan and seconded by Will Farrell; all others were in favor.

 

→        Motion to approve payment of the bills pending audit was made by Will Farrell and seconded by David Padilla; all others were in favor.

 

→        Motion to approve payment of payroll for the past month was made by Will Farrell and seconded by Joe Egan; all others were in favor.

 

Director’s Report:

John noted that he and Barbara are currently working on the Annual Report and will begin working on the US Census data, both of which have deadline requirements.

 

→        Motion to appoint Michael Drago to a temporary clerical position was made by Luz Ledesma and seconded by Luz Ledesma; all others were in favor.

 

Committee Reports:

None

           

Unfinished Business:

Annual review of Library policies must be completed.  Lynne will resend the policies via email to Board members.

 

Review of results of the Annual review of polices was tabled to the March meeting.

 

New Business:

John reported that the Friends met in January and are actively regrouping and recruiting for officers and membership.

 

Advocacy Day in Albany is Wednesday, February 28.  John and Lynne will be representing the Plattekill Library. 

 

→        Motion to enter into Executive Session at 8:35pm with the Director’s participation to a have a discussion about matters involving potential litigation, a real estate transaction that may affect its value and without the Director’s participation to discuss a personnel matter involving salary adjustment about a specific individual was made by Joe Egan and seconded by David Padilla; all others were in favor.

 

The Board left Executive Session at 10:20 PM.

 

→        Motion to authorize the library’s counsel to commence litigation against Nemeth and Morrisey if resolution is not achieved by February 23rd made by Luz Ledesma, seconded by Valerie Smith. All in favor.

 

→        Motion to authorize the library’s attorney to continue negotiations with the Town for purchase of this property made by Luz Ledesma, seconded by Will Farrell. All ayes but Valerie Smith, who voted Nay. Motion passed 5-1.

 

→        Motion to give the Director a $3,000 raise to cover last year and this made by Valerie Smith, seconded by Luz Ledesma. Ayes: Lynne Ridgeway, Valerie Smith, Luz Ledesma. Nays:  David Padilla, Joe Egan, and Will Farrell. The motion does not carry.

 

Adjournment:

Adjourned at 10:26 PM by motion of Joe Egan.

 

                                                                                                                                   

Respectfully submitted by:

Donna Ebanks

Secretary