September 2022 Minutes
Switzerland County Public Library
Board Meeting Minutes
September 13, 2022
The regular monthly meeting of the Switzerland County Public Library Board of Trustees was held Tuesday, September 13th, 2022 at 3:30 pm in the meeting room of the library. Attending were Mary Jane Rogers, Stacy Streett, Debbie Margison, Diane Sigmon, Michelle Hicks, Heather Peelman, and Emily Fox. Not attending were Diana Barry and Sharon Deck.
Rogers made a motion to approve the minutes of the previous board meeting, seconded by Margison and passed unanimously. Reports of library activity and technology activity were shared. Circulation and program numbers have dropped off but are still doing well compared to the decrease after summer reading the past few years. The meeting room is often booked in advance and the public computers have been full several times in the past month.
Bills and claims were presented. Sigmon made a motion to approve the claims, seconded by Hicks and passed unanimously.
Time for Public Comments
The budget hearing for 2023’s budget was held. There were no public comments.
Old Business
None.
New Business
Fox presented the advertisement for bids for the Outdoor Learning Lab project. She worked with K2M Design and Hicks to draft it. She said she talked to Carrie Colvin from K2M Design just before the meeting. They discussed whether or not the library needed to advertise since the project is not large-scale. Fox said she believed that the policy is to advertise, but they would continue on with the advertisement to err on the side of caution. Hicks mentioned that it would help with public perception to ask community members to bid. Fox said Colvin has been working in the Lawrenceburg area and mentioned our project to a contractor who may be submitting a bid soon.
A bid was presented from AVC Technology for two new wireless access points and a new OPAC (public catalog) computer. Fox said that the quote for both items was submitted together after discussions with Brian Johnson from AVC during their annual meeting. The current OPAC is over 10 years old and is a security risk due to age. Fox said the wireless access points would be paid for using the rest of the ARPA grant money and the OPAC could be paid for using furniture and equipment money from the operating fund. Discussion was held. Streett motioned to approve the proposal, seconded by Hicks and passed unanimously. Fox also said that next year, the server would need to be replaced. She suggested using casino funds. She has not received a formal quote, but the estimated was between $8000-$10,000.
Fox addressed concerns about parking lot maintenance. Earlier in the year, discussion was held about who was responsible for snow removal between the library and the Haskell and Morrison funeral home. It was determined that a verbal agreement was entered into when the property changed hands in 1992. The funeral home gives a yearly donation of approximately $1000 in exchange for use of the lot during funerals and visitations, as well as paying for half of the maintenance. Discussion was held. The consensus was that snow removal has been consistent and good quality but has become more expensive and perhaps a more equitable agreement between the library and funeral home could be formalized. Fox will approach the funeral home soon to hear their thoughts and report back to the board.
On the topic of the parking lot, Streett asked about the crumbling sidewalk and said she had received a complaint from the public about how it looks. Fox said that repairing the sidewalk would be done as part of the outdoor learning lab project and she agreed it needed to be fixed.
The library’s carpet cleaning had to be postponed, so the library will now be closed on September 24th. Wayne Robinson is still in charge of the cleaning and it might be a two-day job.
The library will be closed Monday, October 10th for Columbus Day.
With no further business, the meeting adjourned at 4:10 p.m.
Minutes recorded by Emily Fox.