MINUTES OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF THE PLATTEKILL PUBLIC LIBRARY: OCTOBER 2016
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Board
of Trustees
October
13, 2016
The meeting was
held in the Senior Center (community room beneath the Library) and called to
order at 7:10 PM with the Pledge of Allegiance.
Present were:
Lynne Ridgeway, President; Valerie Smith, Vice President; Karen Adamson,
Trustee;
Luz Ledesma,
Trustee; Will Farrell, Trustee; David Padilla, Trustee; Joe Egan, Trustee; John
Georghiou, Director; Barbara
Jacobini, Treasurer; Donna Ebanks, Secretary
Mark Reynolds, reporter for the Southern Ulster Times
Board President
Lynne Ridgeway administered the Oath of Office to the following elected
Trustees:
Will Farrell,
David Padilla, and Valerie Smith.
Architect Paul
Mays presented his feasibility study of 2047 Rte. 32, Modena during which he
answered questions.
Joe Egan left
the meeting at 7:55 PM
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Motion to accept the Personnel Committee’s recommendation to approve
the CDPHP Gold Plan health insurance plan was made by Valerie Smith and seconded
by Karen Adamson; 4 votes in favor (LR, VS, LL, KA,); DP abstained; WF recused
himself: motion passed.
→
Motion to enter into Executive Session at 8:24 PM with the Director, the
Library’s Attorney, Robert Schofield’s participation (via conference call),
and the Secretary’s attendance,
to discuss potential litigation and to have a discussion about a real estate
transaction that may affect its value, was made by Valerie Smith and seconded by
Karen Adamson; all others were in favor.
Joe Egan
returned to the meeting at 8:45 PM
The Board came
out of Executive Session at 9:05 PM
Public
Comment:
Reporter Mark Reynolds asked the Board if we have discussed research into
any possible restrictions on the potential purchase of the current Library
property with our attorneys and have we engaged them to research same.
Lynne replied that we have not had such a discussion nor have we engaged
them to do research. Mr. Reynolds then asked if the Town will determine if there
are restrictions. Will informed him
that they (the Exploratory Committee) were told the Town Supervisor would be
talking to the Town’s attorney. In
continued discussion, Mr. Reynolds asked if there was a timeline.
Will stated that the Town has approved spending money on an attorney and
they are getting an appraisal to determine a price.
Correspondence
MHLS – October 14 is the MHLS Annual Meeting. Names are submitted to fill term positions and voting will
take place at the Annual Meeting; each library gets one vote.
Election of
Officers:
Joe Egan nominated Will Farrell for President of the Board of Trustees;
David Padilla seconded the nomination.
Votes: 3 votes in favor (JE, WF, DP); 4 votes opposed (LR, VS, LL, KA);
motion failed.
Incumbents Lynne Ridgeway, President and Valerie Smith, Vice President
were nominated by Luz Ledesma; Karen Adamson seconded the nomination.
Votes: 4 votes in favor (LR, VS, LL, KA); 3 votes opposed (WF, JE, DP);
motion passed.
Lynne made three calls for any other nominations from the floor.
No other nominations were presented.
As established by a majority vote, Lynne Ridgeway and Valerie Smith were
elected to one year term as President and Vice President, respectively.
By consensus, the Board’s Secretary, Donna Ebanks and the Board’s
Treasurer, Barbara Jacobini, were reappointed to their positions, respectively.
Secretary’s
Report:
→
Motion to accept the regular Board meeting minutes of September 8, 2016
was made by Luz Ledesma and seconded by Karen Adamson; Joe and David abstained;
all others were in favor; motion passed.
Report
from Library Exploratory Committee:
Will
Farrell and Luz Ledesma
·
Discussed appraisal
with Town’s Exploratory Committee
·
Town Board would
support a referendum
·
The Senior Center would
remain here
·
Town Board will not put
any money towards repairing the current Library building
·
The Library would be
required to put money in escrow
·
With regard to the
appraisal: the Town and the Library
share the costs, but each party would have two appraisers
·
Town Exploratory
Committee noted the current Library property was previously appraised at
$495,000
Commentary
from Board:
Ø
Board should have
written reports from the Library’s Exploratory Committee
Ø
When will the Town
Board have an asking price?
Ø
Library Board must
decide if they will retain their own appraiser or use the Town’s
Ø
MHLS may have a list of
appraisers
Ø
Consider having
separate appraisers
Ø
Board should determine
a not to exceed time and maximum cost of appraiser now so as to not have to wait
for the next Board meeting
Ø
Board is not required
by policy to get three separate quotes for hiring an appraiser
→
Motion to contact MHLS for an approved appraiser list and hire an
appraiser at a cost of up to $1000, and we will pay the entire cost ourselves,
was made by Joe Egan and seconded by Karen Adamson; all others were in favor.
Financial
Report:
Treasurer
Barbara Jacobini reviewed the report for the Board
·
The $10,000 Larkin grant has been received
·
The Library received a $1,200 dyslexia grant – a dyslexia program is
scheduled for Saturday, October 15
·
Warrant of checks was circulated for signatures of Board members
·
Standard monthly financial reports are included in the Board members
packets
→
Motion to approve the payroll was made by Karen Adamson and seconded by
Luz Ledesma; all others were in favor.
→
Motion to approve payment of the bills pending audit was made by Will
Farrell and seconded by Karen Adamson; all others were in favor.
Director’s
Report:
Was read and
discussed.
Will informed the Board that Dawes Septic is willing to test the septic
system free of cost.
Lynne noted a purchase order is required for approving attorney fees of up
to $2000
→
Motion to approve the purchase order for legal services for a cost of up
to $2000 was made by Joe Egan and seconded by David Padilla; all others were in
favor.
→
Motion to have Dawes Septic test for proper function of the septic system
for free was made by Will Farrell and seconded by David Padilla; all others were
in favor.
→
Motion to pay the $600 yearly e-books fee was made by Karen Adamson and
seconded by David Padilla; all others were in favor.
Joe requested John send him the Director’s Report that outlines the
revised personnel staffing expenses.
→
Motion to not exceed a cost of $3000 for lights and security cameras was
made by Will Farrell and seconded by Joe Egan; all others were in favor.
Committee
Reports:
None
Unfinished
Business:
The Library’s 2016 grant submission to MHLS was withdrawn on September
23, 2016.
The annual UCLA Dinner/Meeting on September 27, 2016 was attended by
Lynne, Valerie, Luz, Will, and Donna.
New Business:
Lynne requested all Board members consider their committee appointment
interests for 2016+2017 and contact her before the next meeting.
Liaison to Friends Report:
Will did not attend the September Friends meeting because he was at the
Library’s Narcan training which was being held at the same time.
MHLS Essential Trustee Training will be taking place early in October; go
to midhudson.org to register.
Joe Egan noted
that when he makes contact with representatives of some of the grants he is
researching, they ask what his position is in order to proceed.
Joe stated that he would like to say that he is a member of the Grants
Committee. The Board agreed that if
he is comfortable with that we are.
Motion to
adjourn was made at 10:00 PM
Respectfully
submitted,
Donna Ebanks
Secretary
Attachments
filed with original:
Agenda
Bookkeeper’s Report
Director’s Report