Canton Public Library

The Chairperson, Amy Watts, called the meeting to order at 7:31 PM.

Present:           Nancy Eggenberger, Michelle Farell, Jasmine Lee, Jane Pandit, Don Turner, Amy Watts

Absent:            None

Also Present:  E. Davis, K. Gladden

CALL TO AUDIENCE  (M. Crowther, R. Fairchild, L. Golden, P. Jenkins, D. McHugh, M. Nicholson, S. Sharma, M. Swartz, N. Szczepanski, A. Watkins) – None

• APPROVAL OF AGENDA

The agenda was approved as amended by unanimous consent.

• APPROVAL OF GENERAL MEETING MINUTES

The minutes were approved by unanimous consent.

• SPECIAL ORDERS

2018 Audit Presentation  — Melanie Crowther, Mike Swartz, and Alicia Watkins of Plante Moran presented the findings from their audit of the 2018 fiscal year. Swartz, in his final appearance as the library’s partner, spoke at length of watching the library grow and succeed since its inception and stated that the audits get steadily cleaner, year by year. It has been, he said, his pleasure to be the library’s auditor. Vice Chair N. Eggenberger thanked Swartz for many great years with him at the helm of the library’s audits.

• COMMUNICATIONS — None
• DIRECTOR’S REPORT
  • The library is 25% through 2019 as of 3/31, and on track with a few of the usual exceptions. Fringe Benefits are trending higher due to the MERS lump sum payment that was made early in the year.  Also, insurance and many contracts and licensing fees are paid in the first quarter, so both Insurance and Professional & Contractual are trending higher.  Vending machine income was down for the month, as is traditional at this time of year, but is expected to go up in spring/summer.  Auto-renewal will be implemented effective May 1, which will affect the revenue from fines income.
  • Library Giving Day netted $5,050 in donations, which the Friends will match up to $5,000.
  • The parking lot construction project is behind schedule because of the rainy weather. The Friends’ book donation shelves have been demolished and a temporary shelving unit placed on the porch by the staff entry door. Due to gas mains in the area of the new Friends’ donation work space, all concrete must be broken up by hand. 
• TRUSTEE COMMENTS — Trustee Jasmine Lee asked whether Director Eva Davis had heard back from the director of the Livonia Public Library re: the Patron in Good Standing form. Davis has not.
• COMMITTEE REPORTS — None
• UNFINISHED BUSINESS & GENERAL ORDERS
  • Approve Exhibit and Display Policy Revision — N. Eggenberger moved and M. Farell supported a motion to approve the Exhibit and Display Policy revision as presented.
    The motion passed unanimously 19/4-18-1.
  •  Approve Paid Medical Leave Policy Revision — M. Farell moved and N. Eggenberger supported a motion to
     approve the Paid Medical Leave Policy revision as presented.

        The motion passed unanimously 19/4-18-2.

• NEW BUSINESS
  • Accept 2018 Audit — J. Lee moved and N. Eggenberger supported a motion to accept the 2018 audit as presented.
    The motion passed unanimously 19/4-18-3.
  • 1st Quarter Budget Amendment Request — M. Farell moved and J. Lee supported a motion to approve the 1st Quarter Budget Amendment as presented.
    The motion passed unanimously 19/4-18-4.
  • 2020 Budget Discussion (Expenditures) — Capital Replacement Schedule
     Business Service Department Head Marian Nicholson reviewed items on the Capital Replacement   
     Schedule, some of which are included on the ENGIE Engineering Services proposal. The rationale for
     grouping some replacements together (even if not scheduled for replacement at the same time) was
      explained.  Trustee J. Lee expressed her wish to see equipment replacement costs, stripped of engineering
      and other costs, before making a decision.
  • Audit Services Discussion — The board indicated a desire to see various multi-year proposals from Plante Moran.
• CALL TO AUDIENCE – None
• ADJOURN

The meeting was adjourned at 8:52 PM.  

The Chairperson, Amy Watts, called the meeting to order at 7:30 PM.

Present:           Nancy Eggenberger, Jasmine Lee, Jane Pandit, Don Turner, Amy Watts

Absent:            Michelle Farell

Also Present:  E. Davis, K. Gladden

• CALL TO AUDIENCE  (R. Bonner, R. Fairchild, K. Hedrick, A. Iqbal, M. Jordan,  D. McHugh, M. Nicholson, R. Noble, D. Stein, N. Szczepanski) – None          
• APPROVAL OF AGENDA

   The agenda was approved by unanimous consent.

• APPROVAL OF GENERAL MEETING MINUTES

   The minutes were approved by unanimous consent.

• COMMUNICATIONS — None
• DIRECTORS REPORT — Secretary/Treasurer Jane Pandit is interested in attending the Friends of Michigan Libraries Trustees Workshop in Novi; if any other trustees are interested, there is money in the budget for that purpose.
  • The Livonia Public Library, which is part of The Library Network’s Shared Automation System, has instituted a new policy, directed at non-resident patrons from stand-alone libraries, which requires their home library to complete a “Patron in Good Standing” form before the patrons can use their library cards at any of the Livonia library branches. Our attorney has reviewed the form, and in her opinion the form is a violation of the Library Privacy Act. Eva Davis has contacted the Director of the Livonia Public Library, asking the LPL to reconsider their position. Davis has informed LPL and the entire TLN membership that Canton Public Library staff will not complete these forms  unless they comply with state law and the TLN cooperative Plan of Service and guidelines for reciprocal borrowing.
  • We are 16% through 2019, and on track with a few of the usual exceptions. Fringe Benefits are trending higher due to the MERS lump sum payment that was made early in the year.  Also, many contracts and licensing fees are paid in January, so Professional and Contractual is also trending higher.
• TRUSTEE COMMENTS — Vice Chair Nancy Eggenberger will not be present for the board meeting in May. She further advised that a change in her work schedule may result in her absence at meetings from September through December. This situation may change, however; she will keep the board apprised.
• COMMITTEE REPORTS — None
• OLD BUSINESS — Revised Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) Policy

   N. Eggenberger moved and J. Pandit supported the Resolution to accept the revised Freedom of Information Act
   (FOIA) Procedures and Guidelines as presented.

   ROLL CALL VOTE

   Yes: D. Turner, J. Lee, J. Pandit, N. Eggenberger, A. Watts

   No:  None

   Abstain: None

   The motion passed 19/3‑21-1 (5-0-0)

• NEW BUSINESS
  • ENGIE Services Study Presentation  — Ken Hedrick of ENGIE Services made a brief PowerPoint presentation of the Program Development Analysis report created by the firm in December 2018. With the assistance of ENGIE team members Rob Fairchild and Dan Stein, he answered a variety of questions put to him by each of the board trustees. The board will have an in-depth discussion regarding ENGIE’s proposal at the April board meeting, when trustee Michelle Farell will also be present.
  • State Paid Medical Leave Act Discussion — Late in the last legislative session, the Michigan House and Senate passed the Michigan Paid Medical Leave Act, which goes into effect as of March 29, 2019. The board was given different options whereby the library will be in compliance with the new law; they will vote on their preferred option at the April meeting.
  • Exhibit and Display Policy Revision (1st reading)— The expiration of the library’s contract and subsequent removal of the Everything Canton display, plus a revision of how long postings are maintained on the lobby display wall and bulletin board, necessitate changes to the Exhibit and Display Policy. The board will vote on this revised policy at the April meeting.
  • 2020 Budget Discussion (Expenditures) — Library Materials —Proposed increases for Hoopla and Kanopy e-streaming services would finally boost the library materials budget expenditures to 15%. This would allow patrons to checkout more e-books, e-audiobooks and e-videos from the two popular services.
• CALL TO AUDIENCE – None
• ADJOURN

   The meeting was adjourned at 8:50 PM.  

The Chairperson, Amy Watts, called the meeting to order at 7:30 PM.

Present:           Nancy Eggenberger, Michelle Farell, Jasmine Lee, Jane Pandit, Don Turner, Amy Watts

Absent:            None

Also Present:  E. Davis, K. Gladden

• CALL TO AUDIENCE  (L. Golden,  D. McHugh, M. Nicholson) – None        
• APPROVAL OF AGENDA

The agenda was approved by unanimous consent.

• APPROVAL OF GENERAL MEETING MINUTES

   The minutes were approved by unanimous consent.

• COMMUNICATIONS — The board received their annual required letter from the auditors at Plante Moran. The auditors completed their field work on Thursday, February 21, and indicated preliminarily to director Eva Davis that they anticipate another clean audit.
• DIRECTORS REPORT — On Tuesday, February 19, WWJ Radio interviewed Community Relations Department Head Laurie Golden about the Cocoa & Compliments program.

   The opening figures in the January financials reflect the unaudited 2018 ending balances; the books will be   
   officially closed during the audit .

   As of January 31, we are 8% through the year. The property tax deadline was February 14, so we have already
   received approximately 2/3 of our 2019 property tax revenue. The first of two State Aid checks should be
   received in the next month; penal fines are not due until August.

   On the expenditures side, the MERS lump sum payment is made early in the year, which accounts for the higher
   trend in Fringe Benefits. Also, many contracts and licensing fees are paid in January, so Professional and
   Contractual is also trending higher. Insurance payments will show in next month’s financials.

• TRUSTEE COMMENTS — Trustee Jasmine Lee interviewed for a position on the Canton Community Foundation’s Finance & Investment Committee, but has not yet heard back from them.
• COMMITTEE REPORTS — None
• OLD BUSINESS — None
• NEW BUSINESS
  • Revised Freedom of Information Act (“FOIA”) Policy (1st Reading)  — E. Davis briefly reviewed the legislation which necessitated various changes to the original Freedom of Information Act policy. The board will vote to accept at the March meeting.
  • 2020 Budget Discussion: MERS Pension Employer Contribution — The board discussed the desirability of over-funding the library’s contribution to the employee pension fund. Trustees expressed an interest in aggressively over-funding the account for the next few years in anticipation of an eventual economic downturn. Davis and Business Services Department Head Marian Nicholson will use this information when planning the 2020 budget over the coming months and will present options to the board as the budget takes shape.
  • 2018 Endowment Fund Campaign Review — Davis and L. Golden briefly reviewed endowment campaigns since 2009: formats, targets and results. The library has a software subscription which includes a new product (“Savannah”), specifically developed for libraries to interface with their patron databases. This could be utilized to micro-target potential donor groups; Golden will be attending a conference this summer to learn more about it. 
• CALL TO AUDIENCE – None
• ADJOURN

   The meeting was adjourned at 8:15 PM.  

The Chairperson, Amy Watts, called the meeting to order at 7:31 PM.

Present:           Nancy Eggenberger, Michelle Farell, Jasmine Lee, Jane Pandit, Don Turner, Amy Watts

Absent:            None

Also Present:  E. Davis, K. Gladden

• CALL TO AUDIENCE  (L. Golden,  M. Nicholson) – None      
• APPROVAL OF AGENDA

    The agenda was approved by unanimous consent.

• APPROVAL OF GENERAL MEETING MINUTES

    The minutes were approved by unanimous consent.

• COMMUNICATIONS — Director Eva Davis met with Beth Meade and Darice Schubatis of the Canton Community Foundation, who extended to the trustees the offer of a seat on the foundation’s Finance and Investment Committee, which meets quarterly. Davis also discussed possible ramifications to the library from the Canton Community Foundation’s recent merger with the Plymouth Community Foundation.
• DIRECTORS REPORT — The financials are unaudited figures as of December 31, 2018 and do not reflect the fund balance transfer. The auditors will present their report to the board in April, at which time the financial statements will be closed out.
• TRUSTEE COMMENTS — None
• COMMITTEE REPORTS — None
• OLD BUSINESS — None
• NEW BUSINESS
  • Preliminary 2019 Monthly Board Meeting Agendas  — Davis informed the board that the March meeting would include a presentation by the engineering firm, Engie Services.

    She additionally advised that late changes by the previous legislature to the Michigan Freedom of Information 
    Act will require revisions to the library’s FOIA procedure. Anne Seurynck, the library’s attorney, is reviewing it
    now and the board will vote on the revision at an upcoming meeting. It is also time to review the library’s Patron
    Code of Conduct, which will be appended to an upcoming agenda.

    The February audit of the 2018 fiscal year will be the final one of our three-year engagement with Plante
    Moran.  In May, the board will discuss whether to do a Request for Proposal; to sign another multi-year
    agreement with Plante Moran; or to proceed on a year-by-year basis with them.

• Board Committee Assignments — The board deferred appointing members to potential committees (audit selection, director’s evaluation) until a later date.
• CALL TO AUDIENCE – None
• ADJOURN

    The meeting was adjourned at 7:48 PM.