The Chairperson, Colleen Van Auken, called the meeting to order at 7:32PM
Present: K. Schulz, M. Siegrist, D. Turner, C. Van Auken, J. Fausone
Absent: G. Snow
Also Present: E. Davis, K. Gladden

Call to Audience

No comments (R. Havenstein-Coughlin, A. Heidemann, C. McLaughlin, L. Papa, S. Rzetelny)

Approval of Agenda

The agenda was approved as amended

Approval of Minutes

Minutes of the December 17th Meeting were approved as presented

Communications

Eva Davis shared a postcard from George Snow. She also said he had emailed that he would not be in attendance at the January meeting.

She then shared an invitation to the Board to join the Association of Library Trustees, Advocates, Friends and Foundations (ALTAFF). This organization is a division of the American Library Association (ALA) which was formed by the merger of the Association of Library Trustees and Advocates (ALTA) and Friends of Libraries U.S.A. (FOLUSA). The membership fee would be $100. The Friends have also been invited to join; they are past members of FOLUSA.

Report of the Library Director

Investment information comparing the historical performance analysis of the library’s Endowment Fund rate of return versus the Canton Community Foundation was shared. The difference was slight; E. Davis suggested that the Board might want to think further about the CCF proposal, have any questions answered by Joan Noricks, and discuss the matter at the February meeting.

E. Davis spoke with Canton Township Supervisor Phil LaJoy at the Martin Luther King Day event One Community, One Voice. He indicated that his staff was organizing a breakfast meeting of local elected officials and leaders of community and municipal organizations to explore ways they can work together, complementing rather than competing, to weather the recession while meeting the needs of the community. The meeting will be at the end of February and the Board members will be invited.

E. Davis briefly touched on the Unique Management Services recovery report.

Old Business

Election of 2010 Officers -J. Fausone moved and D. Turner supported a motion to re-elect C. VanAuken as Board Chairperson.

The motion passed unanimously 10/01-21-1.

D. Turner moved and J. Fausone supported a motion to re-elect M. Siegrist as Vice-Chair.

The motion passed unanimously 10/01-21-2.

J. Fausone moved and M. Siegrist supported a motion to elect D. Turner as Secretary/Treasurer.

The motion passed unanimously 10/01-21-3.

New Business

Personnel Policy Revision – E. Davis introduced Rebecca Davies of the Foster Swift law firm, who was there to answer any questions on the revised Employee Policy Handbook. R. Davies praised all involved (but principally E. Davis and Sheryl Rzetelny) for their work on the manual and for including the library’s Core Values as part of the document. E. Davis and S. Rzetelny spoke briefly about the updates from the old policy manual, which were necessitated chiefly from the need to conform with changes to the Family Leave and Medical Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act accommodations, and to make the formal policy reflect actual practice. Specific information about disability leave, benefits and insurance was removed (making it easier to make changes to them without reissuing the entire Handbook) and more comprehensive language about health and safety issues, such as the Substance Abuse policy, was added.

J. Fausone moved and D. Turner supported a motion to adopt the revised Canton Public Library Employee Policy Handbook.

The motion passed unanimously 10/01-21-4.

2009 Year-End Budget Amendment – There were additions on the revenue side, due to more property taxes being collected than originally budgeted for, mainly in the form of the County check for property tax delinquencies. The increase in expenditures was mainly due to receipt of the final invoice from Backstage Library Works (the RFID project.) In all, E. Davis projects approximately $113,000 will be available to be transferred into the fund balance, pending the auditor’s report. (The fund balance is not considered part of the operating budget , but is reported to the state in the audit report.)

D. Turner moved and K. Schulz supported a motion to approve the 2009 Year-End Budget Amendment.

The motion passed unanimously 10/01-21-5.

Call to Audience

No comments

Adjourn

Adjourn – The meeting was adjourned at 7:58PM
Don Turner – Secretary/Treasurer