May 2025 Minutes
Switzerland County Public Library
Board Meeting Minutes
May 13th, 2025
The regular monthly meeting of the Switzerland County Public Library Board of Trustees was held Tuesday, May 13th, 2025 at 3:30 pm in the meeting room of the library. Attending were Mary Jane Rogers, Michelle Hicks, Don Tolliver, Sharon Deck, Diana Barry, Heather Peelman, and Emily Fox. Not attending were Norman Miller and Diane Sigmon.
Deck made a motion to approve the minutes of the previous board meeting, seconded by Hicks and passed unanimously. Reports of library activity and technology activity were shared. The library’s Easter egg hunt had 98 attendees. Fox attended an outreach event at Switzerland County Elementary School and there were no attendees, and no attendees visited during the Eggleston Club’s Book Festival during Goatauqua this weekend. Artist Billie Pierce will display her paintings in the lobby of the library over the summer. Paintings are auctioned off for charities and nonprofits in Switzerland County.
Bills and claims were presented. Barry made a motion to approve the claims, seconded by Rogers and passed unanimously.
Time for Public Comments
Diana Barry asked for an updated contact list of board members as well as their terms and expirations. Fox said she would e-mail a copy and print for each member’s folder.
Old Business
Fox gave an update on the meeting room. Flooring is complete and the last project will be to replace the baseboards, crown molding, and chair rails, but it is not pressing. Fox also said the staff sink had another leak in a different line that was not as bad as the previous leak, and luckily it happened before the sink was replaced. The sink is a non-standard size, so she is working with clerk Becky Burchfield on options. Deck asked if Tolliver had approached her about lowering the urinal in the men’s room and Fox said yes and it hasn’t been done yet because once the library starts ADA upgrades, it will all need to be done and it is a large financial undertaking. Rogers asked if we had a timeline and Fox said at least two years due to the need to replace the HVAC system. Deck also said she heard the library was graffitied and Fox said yes. The damage was minor and has mostly been removed, but it was reported to police. The culprit was not caught, but other buildings had also been vandalized.
Fox gave updates on Indiana legislation. SB 1 passed and will affect property tax and LIT money the library and other county entities will receive. There are no concrete answers on how to move forward, but many will be lobbying for amendments to soften the blow of the bill. These changes will not take place until the 2027 budget. Fox also said the Indiana State Library’s budget was cut 30% so services like INSPIRE and the Dolly Parton Imagination Library were cut, as well as the State Technology Grant of approximately $5000-6000 that SCPL will receive for internet services. ISL’s priorities will be Evergreen and the transit service.
New Business
Fox and Peelman previewed the summer reading program, Color Our World. The program will run June 7th to July 19th. Both the children’s and adult programs received grants. Prizes have not been purchased and performers are still being finalized. They are working with the school to partner with the food giveaway bus this summer, particularly in the Patriot land development. Fox proposed to open at 1 p.m. on Friday, June 6th so staff could have a Summer Reading staff meeting, as well as close at 3 p.m. and reopen at 5 p.m. on June 13th for another after-hours carnival. There was no opposition.
The Access to Public Records Policy, Public Comments Policy, and Video Surveillance Policy were reviewed. No changes were made.
The library will be closed on Monday, May 26th for Memorial Day.
With no further business, the meeting adjourned at 4:03 p.m.
Minutes recorded by Emily Fox.