The Chairperson, Nancy Eggenberger, called the meeting to order at 7:31 PM.

Present:    N. Eggenberger, M. Farell, A. Iqbal, J. Lee, C. Spas, A. Watts                                       

Absent:      None

Also Present:  E. Davis, K. Gladden

CALL TO AUDIENCE   (D. Ewick, M. Nicholson, R. Noble) – None        

APPROVAL OF AGENDA

The agenda was approved by unanimous consent.

APPROVAL OF GENERAL MEETING MINUTES

The minutes were accepted by unanimous consent.

COMMUNICATIONS — None

DIRECTOR’S REPORT

• Director Eva Davis introduced Information Services Department Head Dave Ewick, in his first in-person board meeting.
• Davis pointed out that the July check register reflected that the library has made total repayment to the Internal Revenue Service of the credits that had been taken erroneously in 2020.
• The contract with e-audiobook provider cloudLibrary will not be renewed. As of September 30, all e-audiobooks will be provided by Overdrive through their Libby application. Content already purchased from cloudLibrary will be moved to Libby.
• Free domestic faxing services will soon be available on the two printer/copiers in the Self Service area and the contract with FAX24 will not be renewed. International faxing will not be an option but the Reference Desk will keep a list of places where patrons may send faxes to international destinations.
• Davis thanked Information Technology Department Head Rudie Noble for his research to find vendors from whom to solicit proposals for a new RFID system.
• A sneak preview of the library’s new website is upcoming at the September or October board meeting; it is on track for a public debut at the end of November.
• If any trustees are interested in attending the Michigan Library Association’s virtual Annual Conference, they should let Davis know by August 30.
• The board unanimously agreed to have a single Board email contact listed on the website. While all trustees will have access to the emails received, it will be up to the Chair (or, in relevant context, the Director) to respond.
• The library is 58% of the way through fiscal 2021 as of July 31st. The financials are in good shape and proceeding as expected.

TRUSTEE COMMENTS — None

COMMITTEE REPORTS — None

UNFINISHED BUSINESS & GENERAL ORDERS

• Masking for Employees — Davis referenced Programming Librarian Nichole Welz’ proposal for altering the indoor masking mandate for library employees. The proposal requests that librarians who wish to do so be allowed to unmask (while social distancing) when presenting programs indoors. They would be required to wear the mask before and after their presentation, as well as to present prior proof of vaccination. No librarian would be required to remove their mask.

    Davis said that with the rescission of the MDHHS orders and OSHA’s relative silence on the
    subject, the board can generally make any decision they like on this topic. Only a few  
    librarians have currently expressed a desire to use this option, but a number of them would   
   like to have it, nonetheless. Wireless microphones are available for use during programs, so
   any librarian preferring to retain their mask can still be heard by all program attendees.

   Board members empathized with the librarians’ desire to present a successful program while
   remaining safe, and indicated their belief that library staff has generally exercised caution
   throughout the pandemic. The board agreed to allow the librarians to exercise choice in
   determining whether to unmask during a program, under the conditions presented in the
   proposal.

   Given recent changes to the CDC vaccine dosage recommendations, the board asked that
   the  proposal reflect that staff must present proof of vaccination “that meets current CDC
   guidelines.” Davis will implement the proposal as amended to reflect the changes requested by    the board.

• 2022 Budget Discussion — 2nd Draft of 2022 Budget and 2023-2024 Projections — The only change to the budget from the first draft presented to the board in July was the incorporation of the proposed Michigan Employees’ Retirement System (MERS) contribution.

NEW BUSINESS

• Options for MERS Overfunding —Board Chair Nancy Eggenberger said that she had been frustrated in the past when the library carried too large of a Fund Balance. While much of that balance has been spent down with capital improvement projects and now must be built back, she is comfortable with the Administration’s recommendation to accomplish the MERS overfunding goal within five years. The rest of the trustees were in agreement.

   Davis will bring the fund balance transfer request to satisfy the current unfunded accrued 
   liability as of December 31, 2020 for the board’s vote at the September or October meeting

• Approve September 1st Library Closure for HVAC Units Installation — J. Lee moved and C. Spas supported a motion to approve the September 1, 2021 closure, with September 2 as a backup date.

   The motion passed unanimously 21/8-19-1

CALL TO AUDIENCE – None

ADJOURN

The meeting was adjourned at 8:07 PM.