The Chairperson, Nancy Eggenberger, called the meeting to order at 7:30 PM.
Present: N. Eggenberger (participating remotely from Glenview, IL), A. Iqbal, C. Spas, A.
Watts (participating remotely from Canton, MI)
Absent: M. Farell, J. Lee
Also Present: E. Davis, K. Gladden
CALL TO AUDIENCE (K. Bounds, L. Golden, D. McHugh, M. Nicholson, R. Noble, C.
Swanberg) – None
APPROVAL OF AGENDA
The agenda was approved as amended.
ROLL CALL VOTE
Yes: N. Eggenberger, A. Iqbal, C. Spas, A. Watts
No: None
Abstain: None
The motion passed 21/5-20-1 (4-0-0)
APPROVAL OF GENERAL MEETING MINUTES
The minutes were accepted by unanimous consent.
COMMUNICATIONS — Director Eva Davis thanked Library Board Trustee Amina Iqbal for her gift to staff of sweet treats for the Eid al-Fitr holiday, and the card that accompanied it.
DIRECTOR’S REPORT
The Friends of the Library have new volunteers coming on board and so they plan to open Secondhand Prose Used Bookstore on Saturdays, beginning on June 5th, from 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM.
The library is 1/3 of the way through fiscal 2021 as of April 30. The Profit & Loss statement reflects that the usual accounts (Insurance, Professional & Contractual, Property Taxes, etc.) in income and expense are either over or under 33%, but they will fall in line as the year progresses.
TRUSTEE COMMENTS — None
COMMITTEE REPORTS — None
NEW BUSINESS
Update the 2021 Schedule of Library Closures Due to Cancellation of Liberty Fest — A. Watts moved and C. Spas supported a motion to cancel the early closure on June 17, and the library closure dates of June 18-19, 2021.
ROLL CALL VOTE
Yes: N. Eggenberger, A. Iqbal, C. Spas, A. Watts
No: None
Abstain: None
The motion passed unanimously 21/5-20-2 (4-0-0)
Change of June Board Meeting Date Due to Cancellation of Liberty Fest — A. Watts moved and A. Iqbal supported a motion to move the June Library Board meeting date to June 17, the third Thursday of the month.
ROLL CALL VOTE
Yes: N. Eggenberger, A. Iqbal, C. Spas, A. Watts
No: None
Abstain: None
The motion passed unanimously 21/5-20-3 (4-0-0)
2022 Budget Discussion — Revenues
Millage Rate — Davis briefly spoke about the County Equalization Report and the millage reduction fraction, and recommended the board levy the maximum millage allowed (1.4590 mills, reduced from 2.0 mills); the board indicated their agreement.
Property Tax Collection Rate — Davis recommended a conservative estimate of a 99% tax collection rate, due to continuing growth and real estate activity in the township. The board agreed.
Excess of Income Over/Under Expenditure — This was the Contingency line item in previous budgets but, at the suggestion of the auditors and the direction of the board, has been renamed and removed as an expense in the draft budget to conform with GASB standards. The board agreed that Davis should continue to assume a contribution to the Fund Balance of $400,000.
Reopening the Library Further: Considerations — Davis informed the board that, as the result of a bipartisan budgeting agreement, Governor Whitmer had agreed to withdraw the Michigan Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (MIOSHA) proposed permanent pandemic rules in favor of discussing the formalizing of legislative input on epidemic orders. The MI Vacc to Normal plan no longer is dependent on vaccination rates, but will be implemented based on calendar dates. This has thrown some of the library’s carefully considered reopening plans into disarray, and will require additional discussion and re-evaluation to align with the Governor’s announced target dates of June 1 and July 1.
While it is likely that additional changes to the library’s Pandemic Reopening Policy will be forthcoming once the revised permanent MIOSHA pandemic rules are released, the board agreed to revise the library’s Policy in the interim to be in line with current MDHHS orders. They further stated their support for Davis’ plans to phase in additional services in two-week increments. The Pandemic Reopening Policy will be revisited at the June board meeting.
Pandemic Reopening Policy Revision — A. Watts moved and A. Iqbal supported a motion to revise the Pandemic Reopening Policy to require that all staff and patrons continue to wear masks while indoors on library property. Masks are not required outdoors on library property.
ROLL CALL VOTE
Yes: N. Eggenberger, A. Iqbal, C. Spas, A. Watts
No: None
Abstain: None
The motion passed unanimously 21/5-20-4 (4-0-0)
Include Director in Mid-Year Merit Raise Pool — Business Services Department Head Marian Nicholson briefly explained that, based on the Director’s 2020 Annual Review, the board had given Davis’ performance the highest rating possible (8), which is equivalent to the CPL performance rating of Highly Effective. Based on this rating, Davis would qualify for Zone 4 on the Base Pay Structure, should the board vote to include her in the regular staff merit raise pool for the second half of 2021.
A.Iqbal moved and A. Watts supported a motion to include the Director in the mid-year merit raise pool, and that her salary would be $129,100 effective with the first pay period in July.
ROLL CALL VOTE
Yes: N. Eggenberger, A. Iqbal, C. Spas, A. Watts
No: None
Abstain: None
The motion passed unanimously 21/5-20-5 (4-0-0)
CALL TO AUDIENCE – None
ADJOURN
The meeting was adjourned at 8:37 PM.
