Board of Trustees & Committees

Library Board of Trustees

The Regular Meetings of the Board of Trustees of the Vespasian Warner Public Library District for the 2024-2025 fiscal year will be 6:00 p.m., at the Vespasian Warner Public Library, 310 N Quincy St., Clinton, Illinois on the following dates:

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​August 28, 2024 - Minutes

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Vespasian Warner Public Library District

Clinton, IL  61727

Board of Trustees Meeting

August 28, 2024

 

President Laura Hale called the meeting of the board to order at 6:00 p.m.  Roll call was taken with the following members present:  Hale, Janelle Sams-Thomas, Matt Love, Becky Adams, Stephanie Coonce (at 6:03), and Clay Held.  Absent:  Becky Adams and Camille Redman.  Also present:  Executive Director Bobbi Perryman and Youth Services Manager Melissa Snow.

 

Minutes—On a motion by Sams-thomas, the July 10 board meeting minutes and July 16th special board meeting minutes were approved by voice vote.

                                                                                                                        

Approval of Bills—None

 

Correspondence—A letter from the Illinois State Historical Society (ISHS) sharing that an anonymous member gifted the library a one-year membership to ISHS.

 

Staff Reports

• The library is partnering with Celebrate Clinton for a Founders’ Day Scavenger Hunt. Perryman created ten signs that tell short local-history stories that will be placed around town in the locations where the stories took place for participants to find. Celebrate Clinton received a grant from Constellation to pay for signs and prizes for participants.

• The library saw an increase in visitors and checkouts in FY 23-24 compared to FY 22-23. More patrons are using digital resources and free services such as notary and technology help.

• Perryman and business manager Kyle Taylor have uploaded all documents required for the annual audit to the audit firm’s online portal. The firm, SKCO, will now begin a review of the documents. Perryman state that the firm has been good to work with so far.

• Perryman shared that many other libraries are having difficulty finding firms to prepare an annual audit and the Illinois Library Association (ILA) president is considering what can be done by the General Assembly to change the law that requires an annual audit.

• The library had a record-breaking summer reading program with 804 participants. Programs were very well attended as well. 250 patrons came to the end-of-summer celebration as compared to 126 at the 2023 celebration. Snow shared that she and adult program coordinator Emily Dunham visited several other libraries to see how they conduct their summer reading programs and they are using feedback from patron surveys to make changes to the program for next year.

 

Standing Committee Reports:

1. Finance—The library ended the 23-24 fiscal year with $158,000 revenue. Love will work with library administration to make a journal entry to move the funds to special reserve. Expenses were $185,000 higher than last year, due to capital improvement spending.

2. Property—

   1. The library received an update from Entec on the HVAC project. Entec anticipates having a price list for equipment prepared in early September, with purchases happening in the fourth quarter of this year. Once Entec has more updates in September, there may be a need to call a special board meeting to review.

   2. The window that was broken in April has now been repaired.

   3. The library had new carpeting installed behind the circulation desk. The old carpeting was in state that made it a potential tripping hazard.

3. Personnel—Kelsey Gillman accepted the offered full-time youth services assistant position. Snow stated that the library has been able to add more youth and teen programing now that they have extra work hours available. Perryman plans to start a review of the library’s personnel policy this winter.

4. Policy—None

5. Strategic Plan Ad Hoc Committee—The committee met on August 23rd to review updates to the strategic plan now that focus groups are complete. The committee anticipates having a complete plan ready for vote by the November board meeting.

 

Business Items:

1. Review/Approve Budget and Appropriation Ordinance 24-1—

Review/Approve Tentative Budget and Appropriation Ordinance.Held’s motion to approve was passed unanimously by all board members attending.

 

Announcements—September is Library Card Sign Up month and the library will be offering incentives for residents to sign up for library cards.

 

The next regularly scheduled meeting is set for September 11, 2024. The board decided to cancel that meeting as it is only two weeks away, unless business comes up that requires the board’s attention.

 

Adjournment—On a motion by Sams-Thomas, the meeting was adjourned at 6:33 p.m.  Motion passed by voice vote.

 

The next meeting is Wednesday, October 9, 2024, at 6 p.m.

 

 

Respectfully submitted,

Bobbi Perryman

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September 11, 2024 - Meeting Cancelled

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October 9, 2024 - Minutes Pending Approval

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Vespasian Warner Public Library District

Clinton, IL  61727

Board of Trustees Meeting

October 9, 2024

 

President Laura Hale called the meeting of the board to order at 6:03 p.m.  Roll call was taken with the following members present:  Hale, Janelle Sams-Thomas, Becky Adams, Stephanie Coonce, Clay Held, and Camille Redman.  Absent:  Matt Love.  Also present:  Executive Director Bobbi Perryman.

 

Corrections or additions to the minutes:  The minutes from August 28, 2024, were approved by voice vote on a motion by Sams-Thomas.

 

Approval of Bills—None

 

Correspondence—The CCSI Case Association thanked the library for their free use of the Revere Room.

 

Staff Reports—

• Work was completed for the Founder’s Day Scavenger Hunt.  Perryman and Celebrate Clinton’s Edith Brady-Lunny appeared on WHOW to promote the activity, which will run through Oct. 19.

• The use of free services, such as Homebound Outreach, is really up.

• There was a 25% increase in the digital item check-out.

• There was a huge response to the ballroom dance class.  Salsa dance is coming up.

• Melissa Snow will be gone December and January due to the birth of her baby.

 

Standing Committee Reports

1. Finance—The audit is in progress.  We received over $400,000 in property tax disbursement on Sept. 27.  A CD was renewed for $348,000.

2. Property—The November meeting of the board is expected to be longer since ENTEC will be presenting its full plan for the library’s HVAC update.  New LED exterior lights are being paid for by Ameren.  They are also being adjusted so that they are directed downward and do not continue to shine in on the neighbors.  Our sidewalk from the parking lot is rather long for disabled people.  Plans are in place to put in a handrail.

3. Personnel—None

4. Policy—None

5. Strategic Plan Ad Hoc Committee—See Business Items.

 

Business Items:

1. Approve staff health insurance plan—The Personnel Committee thinks we should remain on Blue Cross Blue Shield but switch to a narrower network that will reduce the overall cost 2.13% without negatively affecting the staff.  It still reflects a 10% increase and still does not cover Springfield Clinic, but no current staff members are affected by that.  Office visits are down $10 and maximum out-of-pocket costs are down $1,000.  Redman moved to approve the cost of $48,151.92, and the motion passed unanimously.

2. Review and approve Strategic Plan update—Held and Coonce worked with Perryman to revise the accessibility and equity areas from 2019.  The welcome and summaries were updated and a culture statement was added.  The library will provide up-to-date informational pamphlets on library services for patrons with varying needs, including a new one on low-vision accommodations.  Held moved to approve the update, and the motion was approved by voice vote.

 

Announcements—

• The November meeting will be longer due to approving the library levy and the presentation of the HVAC plan by ENTEC.

• The library will be hosting the Clinton DMV from Nov 4-8 while their building is being renovated.

• The library has been designated a Centennial Organization by the state of Illinois and a recognition of this will be held in the Revere Room.

 

Adjournment—On a motion by Sams-Thomas, the meeting was adjourned at 6:31 p.m.  Motion passed by voice vote.

 

The next meeting is Wednesday, November 13, 2024, at 6 p.m.

 

 

Respectfully submitted,

Becky Adams

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November 13, 2024 - Minutes Pending Approval

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December 11, 2024 

January 8, 2025 

February 12, 2025

March 12, 2025 

April 9, 2025 

May 14, 2025 

June 11, 2025 

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Board minutes are available for inspection at the Vespasian Warner Public Library.