Richard Ramsey, President called the regular meeting of the Library Board of Trustees to order at
7:10 PM on Monday, October 22, 2007.
Attending: Richard Ramsey, President; Rebecca Pahl, Robert Parmenter, Treasurer; Rita Stein, and Gail Sacco, Clerk
Excused: Robert Kent, Vice-President
REPORT FROM AUDITOR: James Cusack and Kimberly Urquhart presented the audit for the fiscal year ending on June 30, 2007 to the Board of Trustees. He told the Trustees that there is adequate money in the library fund balance and explained the differences between the two types of statements—the governmental and the fund. The Trustees asked about future financial obligations. Cusack reported that there may be a change to the reporting of health insurance for retirees.
M (RS) S (RP) P: TO ACCEPT THE AUDIT FOR THE FISCAL YEAR BEGINNING JULY 1, 2006 AND ENDING ON JUNE 30, 2007.
DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS LIABILITY INSURANCE: Charles Barnes, CIC, presented an overview of directors and officers liability insurance to the Trustees. This insurance would cover the Trustees, the staff and any volunteers who work with the library. In particular it covers employee practice liability. Employee practice is a very large claim area.
While the current Utica policy provides some coverage, it is limited. Barnes got four quotes for this insurance and is recommending a more comprehensive policy offered by Chubbs. The estimated cost will be $2,000-$3,000 annually.
M (RS) S (RCP) P: RESOLUTION TO INCREASE THE 2007-2008 FISCAL YEAR BUDGET UP TO $3,000 FROM THE FUND BALANCE. THIS INCREASE REFLECTS THE NEED PURCHASE DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS LIABILITY INSURANCE AND WILL BE ADDED TO BUDGET LINE # 300454 (INSURANCE).
MINUTES: The minutes of the meeting held on October 22, 2007 were presented to the Board.
M (RS) S (RCP) P: TO APPROVE THE MINUTES FOR THE MEETING OF OCTOBER 22, 2007.
FINANCIAL:
WARRANTS: Warrant 4A (October 23-31, 2007) was presented to the Board. Warrant 3A for the operating fund totaled $237.56.
M (RP) S (RCP) P: APPROVE FOR PAYMENT WARRANT 4A OF $237.56 FROM OPERATING FUNDS. SAID WARRANT IS FILED WITH THE OFFICIAL MINUTES OF THIS MEETING.
Warrant 5 (November 1-19, 2007) was presented to the Board. Warrant 5 for the operating fund totaled $63,208.24.
M (RP) S (RCP) P: APPROVE FOR PAYMENT WARRANT 4 OF $63,208.24 FROM OPERATING FUNDS. SAID WARRANT IS FILED WITH THE OFFICIAL MINUTES OF THIS MEETING.
TREASURER’S REPORT: : The Treasurer’s Report for October 2007 was presented to the Board.
M (RP) S (RCP) P: TO ACCEPT THE OCTOBER 2007 TREASURER’S REPORT OF $20,555.88 IN THE CHECKING ACCOUNT, $722,424.97 IN TEMPORARY INVESTMENTS, $67,133.56 IN THE BUILDING FUND AND $8,043.06 IN THE MEMORIAL ACCOUNT FOR TOTAL FUNDS OF $818,157.47.
Transfers for the Fiscal Year Ending on June 30, 2007: Gail Sacco presented the transfers to close the fiscal year.
M (RCP) S (RS) P: TO AUTHORIZE THE TRANSFERS FOR THE FISCAL YEAR ENDING ON JUNE 30, 2007 AS DETAILED IN THE DOCUMENT ENTITLED, “BUDGET TRANSFERS FOR THE TWELVE MONTHS ENDING JUNE 30, 2007.” IT IS ATTACHED TO THE OFFICIAL MINUTES OF THIS MEETING.
Payroll Service: Pam Bolton-Engelhardt met with another payroll service and believes they may be more cost effective for the library. Gail Sacco requested that the Board authorize the Board President and Treasurer to work with the staff and decide if a change in vendor is appropriate. This would ensure that any transition could be timed with the end of the calendar (and payroll) year.
M (RCP) S (RS) P: TO AUTHORIZE THE BOARD PRESIDENT AND TREASURER TO EXAMINE THE PAYROLL OPTIONS AND MAKE THE DECISION REGARDING WHICH PAYROLL SERVICE BEST FITS THE LIBRARY’S NEEDS.
DIRECTOR’S REPORT:
Services: John McEneny gave the library $4,000 for library equipment. Gail Sacco suggested using it to purchase a new microphone system for programs. The current equipment is 17 years old and difficult to use. The Board asked her to wait on any purchases with this money until the issue with the door hinges is resolved.
Family Place Library: The library has been selected to be a Family Place Library, one of two in the Capital Region. (The other is East Greenbush.) Joyce Laiosa, Head of Youth and Family Services, spent a week training with the grant coordinators and designing a plan for the library’s participation. (http://www.familyplacelibraries.org/)
This grant targets children from birth to age three. It is designed to help the Youth and Family Services Department develop a center which provides a broad range of support for both the children and their families, This includes developing a “family place” area with seating areas, toys, and games to designing a five week workshop with local experts to provide information and give support to these parents. Research has demonstrated that these early years are quite important in terms of cognition and that adults who care for these very young children are consistently looking for information to help them be good parents. A family place library not only has the information but creates a welcoming and learning environment—one which the children and their caregivers enjoy visiting.
New Scotland Business Builders: Gail Sacco attended a meeting of this new group which is being organized by Janna Shillinglaw, a local real estate agent. Ms. Shillinglaw would like to see local business become more distinctive—e.g. separate from Guilderland and Bethlehem—and is hoping that an ongoing business group will help in these efforts.
Local History Research Center: Participants in the local history grant met at the library to hear a grant summary and discuss future steps. Gretchen Koerpel will be exploring grant resources to finish up the feasibility study for the project. Legislative and other resources will also be explored.
Building: The door hinges have not been installed yet.
Personnel: There are two new pages.
M (RCP) S (RS) P: TO APPOINT CATHY LAWLER AND MARY FINN AS LIBRARY PAGES.
Miscellaneous:
Gail Sacco presented a draft of the meeting dates for 2008 for the Board’s review. After discussion, the Trustees decided to hold an informational meeting for the community in the library on May 19, 2007. They will not be participating in the meeting which the Board of Education holds. The dates for the meetings are attached to these minutes.
M (RP) S (RCP) P: TO ACCEPT THE DIRECTOR’S REPORT.
OLD BUSINESS:
Building Expansion:
Community Survey: As of today, there is a 5.1% return on the survey. If one uses only the adult population, the return is close to 10% (420 responses).
FINANCES: Dick Ramsey, Bob Kent, Joe Scott, the library attorney, and Gail Sacco met to discuss the implications of purchasing a serial bond to pay for the hill adjacent to the library. After some discussion, everyone decided that this method is the most fiscally conservative and would be advantageous for the library. Serial bonds are similar to a mortgage. The trustees commit to paying off $30,000 plus interest for the next four years and the VCSD bonding attorneys bid this out to get us the best interest rate. The rate will then be locked for the duration of the payment period. Doing this saves the library the cost of re-bidding the amount every year for uncertain rates and the annual legal fees. The main disadvantage is that the debt cannot be prepaid or put into a larger bond initiative.
M (RP) S (RCP) P: TO REQUEST THAT THE VCSD PURCHASE A SERIAL BOND TO PAY FOR THE LAND PURCHASE.
Architect: A meeting to discuss the next steps for the building project has been set up in mid-December with Stew Roberts, the architect, and members of the Library Building Committee. The information gathered at this meeting will be taken to the Building Expansion Committee and the Board of Trustees for consideration.
NEW BUSINESS: There was no new business.
M (RK) S (RS) P: TO ADJOURN THE MEETING. The meeting was adjourned at 9:15 PM. The next meeting will be held on DECEMBER 17, 2007 AT 7:00 PM in the library.
Respectfully submitted,
Gail Alter Sacco, Clerk