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NOLA BOARD OF TRUSTEES
REGULAR MEETING
JUNE 17, 1999

NOLA Training and Conference Center
Warren, Ohio

1 a. Roll Call

President Donna Wall called the meeting to order at 10:05 a.m.

Present: Cheryl Bugnone, Mary Frances Burns, Phyllis Cettomai, Nancy Currie, Carol Davis, Donna Fried, Peter Kozup, Paul Rohrbaugh, Nancy Simpson, Susan Weaver, and Lois Wynkoop.

Also in attendance: Executive Director Millie Fry, Technology Coordinator Brad Stephens, Continuing Education Coordinator Melissa Lattanzi, Administrative Assistant Bonnie Tyler, and Christina Pope from NEOUCOM.

Paul Rohrbaugh moved and Nancy Currie seconded that approval of the Temporary Appropriations and Increases in Revenue be added to the Clerk Treasurer’s Report. Motion carried by voice vote.

It was moved by Carol Davis and seconded by Cheryl Bugnone that the minutes for May 18, 1999 be accepted as presented. Motion carried by voice vote.

III. Correspondence – None Presented.

Deputy Clerk-Treasurer Melissa Lattanzi presented the financial reports in the absence of Anne Hoerig, who is out on maternity leave. Lattanzi reviewed the line items and discussed end-of year balances. Paul Rohrbaugh moved and Donna Fried seconded that the Financial Reports be accepted as presented. Motion carried by roll call vote.

In order for our accounts to balance at the end of the year, the following revenues needed to be increased. Susan Weaver moved and Nancy Currie seconded that this be so. Motion carried in one roll call vote. In 601.3130 (Sale / Printing of Delivery Form), the balance was increased by $20.54. In 601.3199 (Workshop / Meals and Fees), the balance was increased by $5,000. In 601.4140 (Earnings on Checking), the balance was increased by $200. In 602.5500 (OPLIN Reimbursement), the balance was increased by $1,000. In 701.4130 (Earnings on Investments – Foundation), the balance was increased by $400.

Mary Frances Burns moved and Nancy Simpson seconded that six 15 inch monitors be declared as surplus. Motion carried by roll call vote. These items will be posted for sale on the Desktop at 8 a.m. on Friday, June 18 and will be sold at $60 each.

Lattanzi requested that the Board approve the Temporary Appropriations for July 1 – July 20, 1999 in order for the office to pay bills during that period. Donna Fried moved and Phyllis Cettomai seconded that the Temporary Appropriations be approved as presented. Motion carried by roll call vote.

Director Fry gave a brief report on the Tech Connections Conference in Columbus at the Hyatt. It was well-attended (148 participants) and well received. The only downside was that two of NOLA’s laptop computers were stolen out of a hotel-secured room. The Hyatt Regency Hotel insurance company and NOLA’s insurance comapny are working out procedures for replacement.

At the moment, the State Budget still contains the same amount of funding for regional library systems as was present in the original house budget. The Senate has passed this version of the budget to the Joint Conference Committee for adjustment. Deadline for signing the Budget is July 1, 1999.

Statewide Resources Sharing is not in this version of the budget. The Ohio Library Council and the State Library will be discussing a funding strategy for reintroduction at a later time.

The possibility of NOLA sponsoring a hospitality suite for members at the OLC Conference was discussed. Consensus was that Fry proceed with implementation of this project.

Another idea presented was of offering a tour or tours for members that would be led by Carol Shantz, NOLA Consultant. In the past, Carol has led tours for libraries, including Euclid Public to such places as Falling Water. Carol’s Tours uses Lakeland Tour Buses, a highly reputable and well-insured company. There would not be any liability for NOLA should the Board choose to pursue this. Lois Wynkoop moved and Peter Kozup seconded that NOLA pursue referring members to a Carol’s Tour opportunity based on a positive legal opinion that NOLA could legally collect the checks for a tour. Motion carried with a roll call vote.

Director Fry took this opportunity to thank Carol Davis and the three other facilitators whose work helped to make this spring’s Book Look a success. Carol in turn thanked Elaine Casterline and the NOLA Staff for their efforts on the project.

Brad Stephens discussed two technology related groups in which NOLA members are participating. Perl’s Friday A.M. Coffee Group is creating an on-line trivia games center for use in libraries. The second is NOLA’s CISCO Study Group which is exploring advanced technology options that will help libraries in the future.

Stephens has created an online evaluation form that will be used in the future by participants in computer workshops. This form will allow for automated analysis of the responses.

The anonymous comment center is functioning well and has been used several times since coming online. It is hoped that it will encourage even more participation by members. Stephens mentioned that it might be possible to adapt the technology for use by member libraries.

It was reported that NOLA only has two more items to correct in order to be Y2K compliant.

Stephens is working on the NOLA Salary Survey form. Once again, it will be completed by members online. It will be ready for members to input data in July. The results will be available in October.

IV d. Continuing Education Co-ordinator’s Report – Melissa Lattanzi

Melissa Lattanzi reported that all but one of the speakers have been confirmed for the fall Continuing Education classes. The catalog will go to press by July 1. Lattanzi thanked Lori Putt for all the help she has provided with this project. A handout from Putt with a preview of some of the fall offerings was distributed.

Board Members were reminded that the Library Management Symposium will be held October 11-12 at Mohican State Park and that, among other topics, legislative skills and Board issues will be addressed.

Vice-President – President Elect Susan Weaver discussed plans for board meetings during the next fiscal year. The December and June meetings will still be followed by luncheons. Breakfast will proceed one meeting during a sunnier time of the year. "Remote" locations are being solicited for three meetings in hopes of encouraging increased participation.

IV f. State Library of Ohio Report – None Presented.

V. Current Business

Nancy Simpson, Chair of the Personnel Committee praised the Staff’s performance over the past fiscal year. The Committee has evaluated the performance of the Executive Director and the Clerk-Treasurer, but will meet with them later due to some unforeseen circumstances. The Personnel Committee recommends that the Staff receive a 4% increase "across the board" to begin with the pay period that covers July 1. Motion carried with roll call vote.

President Wall also commended the Staff for all they have accomplished over the past year and expressed, on behalf of the Board, how proud we are of them.

The Personnel Committee recommends that $20,000 be included in the 1999-2000 Budget in order to negotiate for the services of Lori Putt and her staff over the next fiscal year. Motion carried by roll call vote. The Board commended Putt and her Staff for the excellent help they have provided NOLA this past year.

The Personnel Committee recommends that $8,000 be included tin the 1999-2000 Budget for contracting with a Marketing Consultant and a Technology Consultant on an as needed basis during the upcoming year. Motion carried with a roll call vote.

The survey that will be sent out to public libraries and schools to get feedback on the Youth Services Coordinator position was discussed. If the survey is mailed in August, a candidate can be on staff by November. The Board felt this was acceptable. Members will be asked to volunteer time to give book talks at the fall Book Look. Diane Fritz has volunteered, along with Carol Davis, to also help with Book Look. Further discussion on the position will occur following tabulation of survey results. Sue Nespeca’s report was also distributed.

At the December Board meeting, the Board had awarded the Staff end of year merit bonuses. This practice had started several years earlier when Holly Carroll was the Executive Director of NOLA. After discussion in December, the Board felt that this should not be given automatically every year, and that the December bonus would be the last one. The Board wanted to go on record to that effect. It was made clear that even thought the bonus is no longer a "given", that this decision does not preclude the possibility of giving a bonus in the future should circumstances warrant it.

Susan Weaver, Finance Committee, asked Director Fry to present information received recently about possible daily delivery costs. It has come to Fry’s attention, but not officially yet, that the fee may be lower than anticipated for this service. The Board recognized that, in light of the information received, that daily delivery costs may come in lower that originally expected. Any discussion about allocation of any possible surpluses above what had been originally planned will take place after the contract is signed.

The Finance Committee recommended that the 1999-2000 Budget be accepted as presented. Motion carried with roll call vote.

The Finance Committee recommended, that commencing next fiscal year, that any balance in a Library’s CE Voucher account, be transferable to the next fiscal year and not "lost." Motion carried with a roll call vote.

The Board discussed the fees for optional services that are contracted for by members and new members during the course of the fiscal year. In the past, contractees had paid full year price for these items as NOLA lost income if it wasn’t included in the federal grant. Because this is no longer the case, the Financial Committee recommended that this practice be reexamined. After discussion, the Finance Committee recommended that while members are encouraged to chose services at the contract time, that the cost for services ordered midyear be decided on a case-by-case basis by the Finance Committee. Motion carried with a roll call vote.

Because State money will not be sent out to regional library systems at the start of the fiscal year this year, the Clerk-Treasurer recommends that NOLA pass a motion allowing Staff to pay bills out of the local funds until state funds are received. State monies can then be used to replace these local funds. So moved by Susan Weaver; second by Nancy Currie. Motion carried with a roll call vote.

Phyllis Cettomai, chair of the Bylaws and Long Range Planning Committee distributed a draft of the Strategic Plan. She commented that this revision went very smoothly. The Board was instructed to review it as it will be on the July agenda for acceptance. Cettomai also distributed suggested revisions of Article V, sections B and G for the Board’s perusal. These revisions will be on the August agenda for passage. Both items will be posted on the desktop as soon as possible.

Mary Frances Burns, Chair of the Nominating Committee, asked for nominations from the floor for the positions of Vice-President / President Elect and Secretary of the Board. No nominations were presented from the floor. Burns then presented the Committee’s slate of Nancy Currie for vice president and herself for secretary. The new Board will vote on these positions following the swearing in of new board members at the July meeting. The ballot will have a place for write in candidates.

Nancy Simpson, Chair of the Personnel Committee, reviewed several changes in the Personnel Policy Manual that are recommended by the Committee. The changes listed below were passed as group with one roll call vote.

Under Vacations, item 3 was changed to read "The Executive Director, Clerk-Treasurer, CE Coordinator, and Technology Coordinator shall accrue 6.346 hours (equivalent to 22 days per year) per payroll period. This will be pro-rated if the position is part time." The motion also included that this be retroactive to July 1, 1998 for the CE Coordinator.

Under Sick Leave, item 6, "Sick leave can also be used by the half hour, half day, or day for medical appointments."

The Maternity / Paternity Leave section has a reference to the Parental Leave Act, where wording of what is required by Ohio State Law is listed.

Under Employee Assistance Program, the last sentence was changed to show that forms can be obtained from the Common File Cabinet (instead of from the Executive Director).

Under Time Sheets, the first sentence was changed to read "each non-exempt employee".

While the Board President does not have to sign the State Grant until the contract is sent, the Board needed to approve the grant as submitted. A copy of the grant was sent to Board Members earlier. Mary Frances Burns moved and Lois Wynkoop seconded that the Grant be approved as presented. Motion carried by roll call vote.

In other business, President Donna Wall gave the names of the new members (Ellen Leavitt and Diane Fritz) that will be joining the Board in July. She thanked the current Board for their support of her tenure and of NOLA itself. Best wishes were expressed to departing board members Donna Fried and Cheryl Bugnone. A special thanks was given to the Staff for the help they gave her over the past year.

VII b. Comments by Visitors – None Presented.

The next meetings will be held at the NOLA Conference and Training Center on July 20, 1999. New Board Member Orientation will take place at 8:30 a.m., followed by the regular meeting at 10:00 a.m.

A motion was made by Mary Frances Burns and seconded by Nancy Currie to adjourn the meeting at 12:25 p.m. Motion carried by voice vote.

 

_________________________ _________________________

Mary Frances Burns, Secretary Date

_________________________ _________________________

Donna Wall, President Date

NOLA Regional Library System
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Revised: 08/02/99 08:54:03 AM
URL: http://www.nolanet.org/meetingminutes/approved/6-99.htm