June 19, 2020 | gladdenk
The Chairperson, Amy Watts, called the meeting to order at 7:34 PM.
Present: N. Eggenberger, M. Farell, J. Lee, J. Pandit, D. Turner, A. Watts
Absent: None
Also Present: E. Davis, K. Gladden
CALL TO AUDIENCE (L. Golden, D. Huntzicker, A. Iqbal, D. McHugh, M. Nicholson, R. Noble, J. Parij,
C. Paul, S. Sharma, D. Skopczynski, C. Swanberg, N. Szczepanski, “Carol”) – Director Eva Davis introduced the Canton Public Library Board of Trustees and Kapnick Insurance representatives to the audience.
APPROVAL OF AGENDA
M. Farell moved and J. Lee supported a motion to accept the agenda as amended.
ROLL CALL VOTE
Yes: N. Eggenberger, M. Farell, J. Lee, J. Pandit, D. Turner, A. Watts
No: None
Abstain: None
The motion passed (6-0-0)
APPROVAL OF GENERAL MEETING MINUTES
The minutes were accepted as presented by unanimous consent.
COMMUNICATIONS — None
DIRECTOR’S REPORT
Director Eva Davis reported that Publisher’s Weekly interviewed Community Relations Department Head Laurie Golden regarding our “62 Days of Summer” program and the quick pivot made to the program to accommodate pandemic restrictions.
Circulation Services Department Head Nancy Szczepanski is retiring at the end of July; plans for a celebratory farewell celebration have not been sorted out.
On Thursday, June 11, the library initiated the scheduled pickup service of holds that were in the building when the library shut down on March 13. Pickup of holds that were fulfilled by returned items and newly received materials were completed by Friday, June 12. The staff’s efficiency allowed the library to open up holds on available items sooner than anticipated, on Saturday, June 13. Since then, over 3,000 items have been placed on hold; activated; and processed for pickup. (1,100 holds were placed and pulled on Tuesday, June 16, alone.)
E-Material statistics for the month of May include: almost 11,000 checkouts from Overdrive/Libby; 1,800 from e-audiobook source CloudLibrary; 12,000 from Hoopla; 1,300 videos from Kanopy; and 2,800 periodicals from RBDigital.
The library is roughly 43% of the way through the fiscal year. Wayne County has advised that they will be making the library whole on delinquent property taxes (approximately $100,000) in June. This will be recognized in the 2nd Quarter Budget Amendment in July. The second State Aid to Libraries payment of $35,000 has been received. Other Income items (such as meeting room rentals, fines and vending commissions) continue to trend downward, due to lack of usage. Any adjustments will be made with the 3rd Quarter Budget Amendment in October.
Again, certain expenditures are trending higher. Fringe Benefits are higher because of the annual payment made to MERS in January. Travel is higher because of staff attendance at the biennial Public Library Association conference in Nashville in February. Yearly Insurance payments were billed during the 1st quarter. These areas will fall into line as the year progresses.
TRUSTEE COMMENTS — Trustee Nancy Eggenberger remarked that Overdues would likely be decreased in any event because of the advent of Auto-Renewal, and that next year might provide a better barometer of how much income will be derived in future from fines.
Secretary/Treasurer Michelle Farell asked whether the Friends of the Library are accepting donations again. (Answer = No.)
Vice-Chair Jasmine Lee expressed her appreciation that the digital media platforms included a variety of international language materials.
COMMITTEE REPORTS — None
UNFINISHED BUSINESS & GENERAL ORDERS
2021 Budget Discussion — Expenditures
Salaries — At the May board meeting, the board had asked for a revised proposal with a slight increase to the lower pay grades due to the state minimum wage increase; pay freezes for all other positions; and no pay cut for the library director. E. Davis reviewed a revised 2021 Salaries recommendation which met those goals. The proposed .71% increase over the 2020 Salaries budget would be an additional $21,000. The board accepted the proposed increase for budgetary purposes.
Approval of Pandemic Response Policy (2nd Reading)
Trustee Don Turner questioned whether the markup language in the policy document revision had been suggested by the library’s attorney. Davis confirmed that it had come from the Governor’s Executive Order 110, with suggested language supplied by Foster, Swift.
N. Eggenberger moved and M. Farell supported a motion to accept the Pandemic Response Policy as presented.
ROLL CALL VOTE
Yes: N. Eggenberger, M. Farell, J. Lee, J. Pandit, D. Turner, A. Watts
No: None
Abstain: None
The motion passed 20/6‑18-3 (6-0-0)
Library Closure Due to COVID-19 —how reopening is proceeding
Staff members who cannot work remotely have been recalled (mainly Pages and Library Assistants). Librarians have been scheduled for some hours on-site, answering phone queries and assisting Circulation Services in preparing holds for pickup.
Building Manager Jim Laffey has flushed the water system and pipes, replaced air filters on the HVAC units, and cleaned the coils. In consultation with Business Services Department Head Marian Nicholson, he has changed the air mixture in the building from an 80/20 recirculated/fresh mix, to a 60/40 mix.
Building monitors are counting and removing chairs and other furniture in preparation for physical distancing once the library allows public entry.
Davis anticipates at least two more weeks of scheduled holds pickups as currently configured; the administration will then look at refining the process further. A committee is looking at equipment usage by appointment (computers, printers, fax). The Information Technology department is looking into options for the Friends to allow access to Secondhand Prose by appointment for their premium members. M. Nicholson is considering midday restroom cleaning by Dunn-Rite, the library’s janitorial service, once patrons are again allowed into the building.
Davis stated that she is very proud of the entire staff, and has been very impressed especially with the positive, can-do attitude of the Circulation Services employees. L. Golden has been doing an outstanding job with social media, communications and the summer reading program; and the fact that everything is running so smoothly is a testament to Rudie Noble and his IT department staff members.
Chair Amy Watts expressed her thanks to the whole staff; she is thrilled that the library is moving in the right direction. Trustee N. Eggenberger said that she was thrilled with the “62 Days of Summer” package and how all the different members of the community are represented on the activity map. In response to a question by Trustee D. Turner, Davis stated that the Governor had extended the Executive Order allowing public bodies to conduct remote public meetings. The board’s July meeting will therefore be conducted on Zoom.
NEW BUSINESS
Healthcare Plan Options August 2020-July 2021 and PA 152 Employer/Employee Insurance Premiums Cost-Sharing Presentation — Clay Paul and Dave Huntzicker of Kapnick Insurance presented a summary of the plans that had been reviewed. The benefits for Blue Care Network’s Healthy Blue Living HMO Platinum 500 plan remain the same, with a nominal 6.49% increase mainly owing to increases in prescription drug costs. In passing, Paul also stated that Blue Care Network would be giving the library a 30% credit on the July invoice; M. Nicholson confirmed that a credit of over $ 5,000 had been received.
Vice-Chair Lee questioned if the increase in charges were in part due to any fees paid to Kapnick Insurance (Kapnick does not charge the library for their services) and if the drug formulary could be adjusted to reduce costs (no, they have been set by the insurer).
C. Paul also reviewed the PA 152 insurance premium cost-sharing analysis of hard cap versus the 80% cap. E. Davis stated that affected staff members were well aware that the board’s generosity in choosing the hard cap for the 2019-2020 plan year was unlikely to be repeated for 2020-2021. Given the economic uncertainty due to the pandemic, she recommended returning to the 80% cap, which would afford certainty to the library as to health insurance costs.
Approval of Healthcare Contract August 2020-July 2021
N. Eggenberger and J. Lee supported a motion to adopt the Blue Care Network Healthy Blue Living HMO Platinum 500 plan for the August 2020-July 2021 plan year.
ROLL CALL VOTE
Yes: N. Eggenberger, M. Farell, J. Lee, J. Pandit, D. Turner, A. Watts
No: None
Abstain: None
The motion passed 20/6‑18-1 (6-0-0)
Approval of PA 152 Employer/Employee Insurance Premium Cost-Sharing
J. Lee moved and M. Farell supported a motion to approve the 80% cap for employer/employee cost sharing of insurance premiums as mandated by PA 152.
ROLL CALL VOTE
Yes: M. Farell, J. Lee, J. Pandit, D. Turner, A. Watts
No: N. Eggenberger
Abstain: None
The motion passed 20/6‑18-2 (5-1-0)
CALL TO AUDIENCE – None
ADJOURN
The meeting was adjourned at 8:51 PM.