Grinnell Public Library District (GPLD) Board Meeting Minutes December 11, 2013 Present: Brkich, Campilii, Christie, Devine, Fuimarello, Quinn, Ruggiero, Sassmann (and Village Liaison), and Tucker
Also present: Director Jessica Gonzalez, Attorney Robert Schofield, Village Mayor Matt Alexander, Association President Denny Evaul, and Association Trustee Lisa DiGregorio
Special District Board Meeting – Wednesday, January 8, 2014, at 7 pm at the Library. REMINDER: All Board members should review the following documents provided by Director Gonzalez: Governing
legislation, approved by Governor Cuomo; Absolute Charter, approved by the NYS Board of Regents; and By-laws for the Board of Trustees Next District Board Meeting – Wednesday, January 15, 2014, at 7 pm at the Library Next Friends Meeting – Thursday, January 9, 2014, at 7 pm at the Library The meeting was called to order by District President-Elect Greg Quinn at 7:03 pm Oaths of Office – Village Mayor Matt Alexander administered the oath of Office to District President, Greg Quinn. Then Mayor Alexander administered the Oat of Office to all the other District Trustees. Pictures of the Trustees were taken to be record the historic moment. The Board unanimously approved the following officers: President- Greg Quinn, Vice President – Beth Devine, Vice President of Finance – Ed Tucker, and Secretary – Eileen Sassmann on a motion made by Joe Ruggiero and seconded by Tony Campilii. The Board unanimously approved the Special District By-Laws on a motion made by Joe Ruggiero and seconded by Beth Devine. The Board unanimously approved Jessica Gonzalez as Library Director on a motion made by Joe Ruggiero and seconded by Beth Devine. The Board unanimously approved Diane Levitt as Treasurer on a motion made by Joe Ruggiero and seconded by Beth Devine. Discussion of Library Policies – The Current Library Policies were distributed and discussed. Minimally all policies must be updated to change the Library name. The change in status may require additional changes since the public libraries must comply with different rules than association libraries. Director Gonzalez and President Quinn agreed to be a Committee to review the policies and recommend changes to the Board. 2 In this discussion it was the consensus of the Board that the Library’s relationship with Attorney Schofield be changed to a less active one (no longer billing by the hour) now that re-chartering is complete and we are just transitioning to operations. Library employees are now Civil Service employees. Those employed at the time of the change are grandfathered and do not have to be Civil Service employees but new full time employees must be hired following Civil Service rules. All full time Library positions will have to be classified into the appropriate Civil Service titles. Director Gonzalez is working with the County to make the change. Friends of the Library now needs to be a not-for-profit (501©3) organization, Association Trustee Rod MacLeod has agreed to be the attorney for this activity. Director Gonzalez has found a 1968 document that does th8is. It is not clear if the IRS still considers this 1968 document valid and research on this is continuing. Prepared: January 7, 2014
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Grinnell Public Library District (GPLD) Board Meeting Minutes December 11, 2013 The Public Library District needs to have Long Term Plan for 2014 until 2019. Director Gonzalez handed out the Long Term Plans prepared at various times for the Association Library. Discussion of Finances and Treasurer’s Position – Methods to be used to pay for expenses need to be explored since some current methods are not allowed for Special Districts. Trustee Ruggiero offered to share his experiences with Director Gonzalez. Current accounts will have to be closed and changed to the Special District accounts. Signatures will be required from several officers. Association President Evaul and District Trustee Devine agreed to work on the Transition Committee. Trustee terms begin with the Annual Meting. The date for this event is after the Yearly vote which must be held before November 9, 2014. The Board unanimously agreed to a transition of assets by December 31, 2013. Old Business – None at this meeting New Business – Covered in the minutes presented above Adjournment – The Board unanimously agreed to adjourn at 8:45 pm on a motion made by Helen Christie and seconded by Joe Ruggiero. Respectfully Submitted, Eileen C. Sassmann, Secretary of the Grinnell Public Library District
Prepared: January 7, 2014
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