Palos Heights Public Library Board of Trustees
Meeting of March 18, 2021
Minutes
President Burek called the meeting to order at 7:00 PM. The meeting was conducted via Zoom video-conferencing.
The Secretary called the roll and the following Trustees were present: Zubik, Snow, Foertsch, Fear, and Jankowski, as well as President Burek. The President declared that a quorum was present. Trustees Georgis and Rhodes joined the meeting shortly after roll was called.
Library Director, Jesse Blazek, and Business Manager Terry Fleckenstein were present. No guests were present, nor was any public comment delivered to the Director via email for reading at the meeting.
Minutes of the Special Meeting of February 17th, 2021, were reviewed and approved on a motion by Trustee Snow, seconded by Trustee Jankowski. The vote on this motion, as are all votes in meetings on a virtual platform, was conducted by a roll call vote. It carried and the approved minutes are filed. Similarly, a motion by Trustee Snow to approve the minutes of the regular meeting of February 18th was seconded by Trustee Fear and carried on a roll call vote.
President Burek then called on Trustee Foertsch, Board Treasurer, to present the Treasurer’s motions. The first motion, to approve the General Fund Bills for the month of February 2021, in the amount of $108,122.52, was seconded by Trustee Zubik. A question as to the nature of the Cares grant gave rise to the thought that bookkeeping should move it from grant to Miscellaneous. On a roll call vote the motion to approve the General Fund Bills carried. The second motion made by Trustee Foertsch was to approve the Treasurer’s report for the month ending February 28, 2021, was seconded by Trustee Zubik, and was carried on a roll call vote.
Board President Geri Burek did not have anything to report.
Director Jesse Blazek gave his report. He has rebuilt our Trustees’ website leading the Trustees to discuss inclusions in it. Director Blazek discussed the current Phase of the Library’s Re-Opening Protocol to the public. He listened to Trustee comments about a return to in person Board meetings. The Director will consider the possibility of doing so and inform the Board of the relevant circumstances. The Director briefly touched on a multi-library program, virtual, in the works. He also mentioned an awareness, through correspondence, that another bequest to the Library will be coming. With Trustee Jankowski assisting, the Trustees were made aware of the re-opening celebration of Palmer Park on Wednesday the 24th.
President Burek called for Committee Reports:
No committee reports were made except that the Policy Committee Chairman, Trustee Zubik, deferred that report for inclusion in the Unfinished Business.
Unfinished Business
Regarding the funds attributable to Francine Zanardo’s gift, the topic is deferred to the April meeting.
The Reopening Plan was discussed in the Director’s report.
Trustee Zubik reported, with the Director, the revision of the Circulation Policy, previously set for discussion on February 18th. The new content proposed in Trustee Zubik’s motion to adopt this revision, seconded by Trustee Fear, includes elimination of daily fines for overdue books. The Trustees discussed the pros and cons of the policy revision, especially what is called ‘going fine free’, and the cost to patrons when a book is considered ‘lost’ or damaged. When a roll call vote was ultimately taken, the motion carried and the policy revision is approved.
New Business
On the subject of the Youth and Teen Services renovation project, the Director updated the Trustees as to activity with the chosen architecture firm, Product Architecture and Design (“Product”) since the firm was chosen at the February 18th Board meeting. A kick off meeting was had with Product representatives, Dan Elanardo and PHPL staff. Three designs will be presented as a way to describe three ranges of proposed work. The contract proposed, for architectural services, calls for a standard 8% cost of work as the firm’s fee. On a motion by Trustee Snow, seconded by Trustee Zubik, the Board approved the Director signing the contract with Product. The Trustees were made aware of a Pinterest page on which Library staff might post ideas for the renovation.
New Business included anticipating National Library Workers Day Honoria for staff members. The Director and Business Manager described the recent use of gift cards, to local businesses/restaurants, for each staff member. Trustee Zubik’s motion to approve this expenditure of $50 gift cards was seconded by Trustee Jankowski and the motion carried on a roll call vote. National Library Workers Week begins on April 5th and National Library Workers’ Day is April 6th. Trustee Snow asked Trustees to consider a personal note of thanks to PHPL staff, in addition to flowers sent in our name, to express our appreciation to staff.
On a motion by Trustee Snow and second by Trustee Zubik, the meeting was adjourned at approximately 8:10PM by President Burek.
The next meeting is scheduled for April 15th, 2021 at 7:00PM.