Library - Regular Meeting

Okay. Okay. Um I would like to call to order um this regular meeting uh on Thursday, March 19th of the Teton County Library Board. Um everyone, all board members are present. Elizabeth and Vicki are here remotely and Miles, Peg, and myself aren't present in the room. Um, Kip, Estella, and Lindsay are here. Um, and

and Diana Peek with the foundation. Looks like Cindy is Cindy which is here because of you know where Susan Susan is toward the end. So we have a guest and we're ready to go. Um would somebody like to um uh make a motion to adopt the agenda? Okay. moved and Miles seconded. Adoption of the agenda. All in favor? I I

I suppose I should have asked for additions or any anything, but anyway, it's forwarded. Um, and I'll move uh that we adopt the minutes of the February meeting. Um, I move for approve the minutes of the February 19, 2026 regular meeting. All in favor? Second. And I I did. Okay. Miles. Uh, uh. Oh, we we the motion passed.

I thought after a year I would get better, but sorry folks. We're all good. Um, all right. Is there any public comment today? We have a correspondence. Oh, we do. Oh. Um, a a card sent from Virginia Gross addressed to members of the library board. You sure brightened up my day. Thank you. I was so appreciative of your thinking of me during the holidays. Chocolate from Aelier Ortega are my favorite gift in the entire world. Many thanks Virginia. Excellent.

Right. Um then we'll move on to quick question. Would would this be the time to acknowledge Susan's departure with a snippet of the email? We have an agenda. It's on the agenda towards the end. It's the end of the agenda. It was added. Thank you. I missed that. Appreciate it. Um okay. Uh next we'll uh take a look at financial information. This do you public comment but we we that was correspondence. Oh now public comment is

there's no one online and I don't know if Sly or anybody has anything to say. No. Okay. Um we'll move on to you're not report then for financials the staff. Okay.

Um good morning. I don't as you may have seen from my uh report uh not a whole lot to discuss this morning. Um income categories I wrote nothing to report because we're just uh moving along at the proper pace that we expected with our income. Um and as I say every month the interest income um continues to grow very well. So um in terms of expense categories I did I did have something I wanted to bring up that I forgot about this until I was actually telling the vouchers and this is also related to a voucher. It shouldn't change anything but um when we opened our Amazon Prime account Several years ago, we um started with their invoicing procedure and that worked well until it did not. Um reason being is that we got to a point where Amazon started notifying us that we had past payments due 60 days, 90 days, etc., even though we always paid our bill in full each month. Um, and then what we slowly found that Amazon was doing is that they were not attributing the payment to the invoices that we asked them to. They would do a mix of what they attributed the payment to and it got to be a very big headache and Lindsay was a star because she was very patient in trying to email Amazon back and forth. So, because of that problem, um, we decided, okay, we're not going to do invoicing anymore. we're just gonna pay by credit card, which has worked out much better. Um, however, on Amazon, for whatever reason, I'm not able to completely close out the invoice option, so it still just kind of lives there on our account. And recently, we had a

staff person make a payment by invoice. Um, there were two kind of errors with that. one, they accidentally made the payment by invoice, but they also were making a payment that should have been paid out of the foundation and friends credit card. So, um, what I forgot to make note of yesterday when the, um, invoice and vouching procedure was being done is that we do have one voucher that was to Amazon for $24.25 25 that we are paying directly out of our operating budget because I didn't want to ask the foundation to pay that directly because of all the mess that we've had in the past with our invoicing procedure. Um, however, I did um notify Diana Pek and Laura if they could reimburse us for that foundation fund. So, I think we they've already received the check, but so I just want to make note of that and I forgot to put that in my report because that was just a bit of an oddity there. Um I mentioned last month that the county is been working with our HRS system regarding some when they when the county transitioned there were some errors or not errors but just some I don't even know what to say exactly but some issues with uh salaries and so forth and so I mentioned that last month and I want to mention that on the expenditure approp appropriations report. The uh year-to- date expenditures are still not accurate because of that s because of the difficulties with the HRS system and presumably the related um items to staff salaries such as FICA, health insurance, etc. So, it is our understanding from the county clerk that they're hoping to have that situation with HIS rectified this week. Um, so I'm hopeful that next

month's report will hopefully have uh the correct year-to- date expenditures. So there's hope that one one question I have on that. Um, it's really difficult. It's impossible to review those because they're not very they're not accurate at all. Um, we have to go backwards once they clean it up or moving forward. We be reviewing these reports. In other words, they got to get it up to date. It says we have six years. So I'm just asking from our standpoint as a board, will we have to go backwards and review the incorrect reports or will we just have to review them and

I think it would just be that they would get the report for month ending March would then hopefully have the accurate data and so we would just move forward every month with those reports.

Okay, great. Would be my assumption. And then um just want to make note because this is an annual payment that we have um as part of the Teton County Library being part of the um Wyoming Wild Consortium. We have an annual fee that we pay. Um so that became due and that was part of yesterday's voucher process. Um the total amount due was 12,860. That includes uh our share of databases that we share with the state of Wyoming and other libraries. And then that also includes our payment for our Symphony web license. Uh that license is related to the catalog. And just so everybody understands too, there are several aspects or modules to the catalog. There's the public facing which is what you all see but then there's the back end of the catalog that staff see which is where we input um library account holder information. There's a section for a module for acquisitions of materials. There's a cataloging module. Um so that's what this payment is for. Um even though it is over the $7,500 amount. This is one of those things that a previous board approved. Um so we don't bring it to you all for approval. Um and also included in the payment since co um we have been receiving a credit through the library services and technology act and so that was credited to the overall payment. So the overall payment is actually $10,282. Um does anybody have any questions on that? Okay. Um, and then I guess the other thing I

wanted to highlight, so this month the packet includes two warrant registers for February. The reason being is that when the uh, deputy clerk processed the checks last month, somehow High Country Linen and Jackson curbside were placed on the same check, so she had to avoid those and reissue. And that's why you're seeing two warrant registers for February. And I think that's about it I have to say for this month. Any questions?

Can I just make you all aware of a situation since mentioned uh the county's HRIS system. Um it is now March 19th and county employees have yet to receive their W2s. What W2s? There was we switched from one to another and um isn't that required by

we we received an we received a W2 for the income earned under the old system. the ones that were issued under the new system were incorrect and so they were pulled and the company was asked to run it again and they took a long time and they said that the holdup was the their ability to upload information to the Social Security Administration. Um and that was supposedly remedied as of yesterday and they said that it will take two to four weeks from yesterday to issue the new bus. Um the county can provide people with some of the numbers they need to complete their taxes, but a lot of people in the county for housing or student loan applications or for whatever have to have physical W2s and those are not in anybody's hands. So just want to make you aware.

Whose responsibility is that ultimately in the county? The county clerk. Okay, thank you. She probably improved that. And so that is why the report had trouble like expanding on all that. Um that's why the staff salary portion of the report is not up to date and that is also why before that next month it will be

four weeks from yesterday past the tax yeah like probably right on the tax day or something.

Can that new company like give them a extension to bio or something? They I don't know the information from the clerk's office they're still going to test there's there's no information coming out to staff I try to at least update our folks and I don't think it's very frustrating people are concerned for that know some people live a hidden hollow they have a deadline for submitting an image and they lose their housing, things like that. So, there's a lot of angst out there.

So, just wanted to make that a public statement. If I could just take a moment, piggy back and both Kip and I have fielded questions from staff regarding this and it has been difficult to really help them understand that we we can't literally do anything. This is so not in our hands. So, sorry.

All right. Um, we'll consider the payment of library vouchers. Um, Peg, would you like to make a motion?

Yeah. Two quick things before a motion. Elizabeth joined me yesterday and she's getting used to what the process is like. So any we can only one at a time if anybody else would like to see what that's all about. Thank you Elizabeth. Um the other thing just a heads up I won't be able to sign vouchers for the next meeting. Um so if you guys could think about who might be around that would be great. Um and so I would move to approve the payment of library vouchers in the amount of $54,121.72. Elizabeth, would you like to second that since you also? I second. Thank you.

Uh, we have a motion and a second. All in favor? I. Motion passes. Um, we'll move on to Kip's uh report.

Okay. Um, since you mentioned not being present next month, I also will not be present. Uh, if this is just a voucher meeting, usually five minutes or so. As it turns out, Stella and many of the managers will be in a three-day training that week. So, I'm hoping the board is capable of um running the meeting without either of us present. Um it's just initiating and Lindsay will be present I believe. Um so she could start the Zoom meeting record to the cloud and then end up but hopefully

but will you send us an agenda? Yeah, just an agenda. It'll just be the regular voucher meeting agenda that'll be ready for you. Okay. Um, Elizabeth, would you be able to do vouchers next month? April? Yes, I just looked and I can email you all. I believe in May. I will have to miss the board meeting. I know that's way out, but April, it's on my calendar. I will coordinate and uh step in. Thank you. And I do get back on the 19th from um being out of town for a few weeks. So if something comes up and I need to do it, um I'm happy to do it as spot.

Oh, you're not present either, Mary? Um no, I will be here. Oh, you will be. I'm I'm back in time for this meeting unless something goes wrong at my trip, but I I think I should be.

Okay. Um other things in the report um after many months our space reconfiguration for staff is finally mostly done. Um I think um there's a little tweaks here and there to do and getting the former facilities office converted to a new meeting where it is really the big project that's left and we're hoping that that's depending on the door uh will be maybe a nice national library week gift to the community attempt study without Most of the projects I've listed a lot of facilities projects um just so you're aware of what's going on. I think you we've talked about all of them individually but to see them all listed probably good for you to know what all is going on. The one about sprinklers um we'll talk about here in just a minute. Um and then library staffing news I guess. um a few changes as you know we're celebrating Susan's 35 years of service today as well as her retirement. Um we have made a tentative offer to someone for a youth services position and someone I get to spend the afternoon doing interviews for um the circulation supervisor position which is the access services supervisor position. Um and so hopefully we'll have that position filled at least the not after today. And then we had u an employee yesterday in circulation

who does half of our passport appointments u resign two week notice yesterday. So, we will have to pause a lot of our um passport appointments for the short term, but we're past the spring break rush. So, we should be fine regarding and probably no rush to fill that position because we'll have a new person in um the supervisor position which this position currently falls under. So I don't want to hire somebody that the new person would probably maybe they wouldn't like or have a different idea and leadership would like to meet and discuss what the future of that position might be like too.

Did I read somewhere else that there's nine people trained to do the best? Yeah, we have nine agents. Uh this one was carries the bulk of them because the funding for that position comes from the revenue board applications. So that's why that position does about half of our appointments each week.

Stephanie Oh, that's right. Oh yeah. and the current and Stephanie Franco was the circulation supervisor and she did two two a week. So we're we'll be down a bit but we still have seven agents. It's just that but the other seven agents have a lot of other jobs to do. So we carry on but there will be fewer appointments. Is that the idea that you can still We're still going to process your pass.

We'll still be doing that. Yeah. And what else? You guess questions. Any questions for Kip? I think one thing I want to thank um the whole staff for um dealing with positive and negative comments. It must be difficult. So Oh, the patron comments. Yeah, I feel kind of amaz sometimes, but um so I just want to say you guys are doing a good job and how you handle things. I think most of the time the teaching comments are usually positive, but let me skip that one.

All right, if there aren't any more questions from Kip. Um Diana, it's all you foundation.

Thank you. Um, I had a really brief report, but just a couple things to point out that uh you'll be hearing from us regarding National Library Week. Um, we're excited about planning our festivities for that week and bringing awareness and appreciation to the library. Some of the things we have planned and you'll receive an email from Laura in our office. Uh, if you would like to participate, we'll be requesting to read our National Library Week proclamation at the county commissioners meeting that week on Tuesday. Also on Tuesday during National Library Workers Day, we'll be holding a lunchon here in the Ordway for staff um to again like an appreciation and to honor them on on National Library Workers Day. And then on Thursday, we're hosting coffee and donuts, the foundation and friends um in the lobby. And that's always usually been tied to some kind of another awareness for the library. So, for example, two years ago, we were debuting the coffee part and the new outreach van. So, we had patrons come in to see those and we were presenting coffee and donuts for them. And then last year we were holding Wonder Lab maker space tours and then we had a Library of Things petting zoo. And this year we are going to have a library resources fair. So, we'll have tables set up in the lobby and we're trying to feature some of the library programs that aren't well known like for example the Brainfuse um digital access program or Creative Bug which is also digital. Um and then some of the new things like in the youth services they have the Wonder Books and not all patrons know about that. So, we're going to have a few of the libraries um not super well-known resources out so that folks can learn more about them and that's on Thursday. So, Um, we welcome you all to join us if you'd like for the reading of the proclamation to serve lunch to staff. Um, and if there's anything if there's any help needed at the resource fair, we

may do a call for volunteers as well for that. So, can you remind me of the dates?

Yes, those are going to be April 19th through the 25th. And the theme this year is called Find Your Joy. And that's um comes from ALA. And we are also offering um we're purchasing some fun t-shirts for staff. Um an author that's worked with ALA has created a library joy t-shirt. And so we're um the foundation friends are going to be ordering those for staff, for our board, for your board, anyone who wants to participate in any of the the week's festivities and would like their library joy t-shirt. So just be on the lookout for an email from us about all of that. And then the other thing I wanted to point out that's not included in your report is the work of our library funding committee because it's time to start um establishing the budget for fiscal year 27 for our library funding requests uh to the foundation and friends and our committee that was just formed this year our new committee um is doing some great work and I met with Stella and Kip to share with them um in looking at library funding for fiscal year 27. there was a desire to look at it more holistically. As you can see on our reports, we break out spending in terms of library department. So you have your youth services, adult services, Latino, altar branch. Um, and so that's how we've always viewed the funding, but there was a greater desire to see it holistically in terms of these buckets of how we serve patrons, how the library serves patrons. So for example, I'll just share with you real quickly. We created five buckets of funding requests. They go into programs and classes. So, we think about ways patrons experience the library. Um the second bucket is collection and resources. So, that's um either materials or platforms or digital resources that patrons can check out or use. And then we have access and outreach. And we think about that as ways that the librarians serve

patrons outside the library. So, these are book giveaway programs like Sprout Mobile or Born to Read or maybe it's take-home craft kits where folks come um either youth or adults come in and pick up a craft kit to take home and put together. So, that's access and outreach. And then we have spaces and technology and that is thinking about ways that we can improve the patron experience within the spaces and also ways we can improve staff's uh work efficiency and things if they we can enhance their abilities to to do their job. And then finally we have our staff bucket which is um how we support library staff. So that might be our category of appreciation and wellness initiatives. uh it could be our housing support fund. Um staff development in terms of educational opportunities and enrichment and development. Um and so we're looking at that in those ways rather than individual departments because we realize just like in youth services alone they might have asks in all five different areas and then when you look at that holistically you can get a better picture of what is the overall overarching goal for that for those um funding requests. But anyway, we're really enjoying this process and talking. We're starting to meet with staff this week and the week after uh spring break to um go over some of this year's uh um asked to look at program outcomes and impacts and then start putting together the numbers package for next year and what are the what are the goals for next year? what what if any are the new initiatives or um ongoing programs that they feel are really have been really um strong and deliver you know just great benefits to patrons and they want to continue those. So we're we're in that process right now and it's going well.

Thanks for all you do. Yeah. Yeah. And if you didn't read the article in the paper last week about our book files here, it's worth a report. Thank you. Yeah.

All right. Um, so any questions for Diana? Are you ready to move on? All right. Um, fire suppression and sprinklers tough thread. That's okay. Thanks for having me. Um, so this staff report is to request um some money for project. Um in our annual fire inspection this year, it was identified that we have several deficiencies sprinkler heads. Primarily the outdoor sprinkle heads that go around like the walls and roof underneath and there are several different issues. We identify them. We work with Mount Fire to identify each item needs to be upgraded. um and um came up with a quote and we are looking at a budget request of $40,000 from capital reserves so that we can um remedy this problems. Um the uh basic staff impact is that me and me and Chris will manage the the coordinate with with the fire whoever we hire in the board. I'll put together the uh request for proposal and then we'll have to review that. We'll have to approve bid and u go through the typical process of uh getting it done. So right now we did not anticipate

so asking for the suggested motion is and this is for life safety. Right now we don't believe that the fire marshall does not believe that system will not form properly and adequately. However these things should be changed and they should be changed as soon as we can. Um, so the suggested motion is to approve funding for fire expression upgrades from the capital reserves uh account in the amount of $40,000 so that we could put an RF uh request for proposal together to get this work done.

Okay. Thank you, Rick. Um, any questions for Rick or Stella or Kev on this topic? Um, Elizabeth.

Yes. Hi, Rick. Thank you so much. It's great hearing from you every meeting. I feel like your hands are always full and you uh have great answers. Uh, I noticed I believe that you may have to close the library for a day and so I just thought I' I'd ask for confirmation on that and then I'm just curious as to what day you're looking at and you know what impact you feel it might may have on our patrons. Correct. And I'm sorry I did not address that in my uh opening there. And so it could be quite noisy and disruptive. Most of that's going to happen in the adult wing and in the back office areas. So there is a question to how much we would need to close if we want to close the whole library partially. just let people know or not just but let people know that there could be some disruptions and noisy you know stuff happening over a couple of days. Um we will have to take the system down entirely which means we would have to be on fire watch all day. Every hour we'd have somebody would have to tour the building and do a walkound fire watch when until the system is is um is back in service. Um the first day hopefully we get done all of the the draining mechanical repairs the first day and then takes time overnight for sealants and other pieces to to to cure before we can recharge the system. And then we'd have to recharge the system. um recharging the system won't really be a very noisy and complicated piece for our patrons. Um so probably look at one day of full closure

is my guess is we should be prepared for that. I'm going to look and see if we can coordinate it so we don't have to. Um, however, I think we should be prepared for at least one full day of being down and then a second day where it could be a little disruptive and both of those days we would have to do fire watch every hour around the building, which not too big a deal. We can handle that. Um, that's if it goes super smooth. Um, so some of this will be determined after we get the request for proposal out. We get the proposals back, we review them, and then we come up with the plan on scheduling each piece of the operation. Does that answer your question?

Thank you so much.

We were looking at on Junth, Friday the 19th of June, we are closed So, one of the things we would like to do is try to target that day to be the day where the cattle company comes in and does the the heavy lifting. Um, the problem we run into there is some companies only work Monday through Thursday. Now they 410 and but we can steer them into that Friday and then we would need them to work Saturday to get us back up and recharge. So there are some challenges with June 19th, but it is a target.

It's great you're thinking about all of this. Thank you so much and great work. You're welcome. Thank you. So I'm curious. Um, it's a pretty big unexpected expense and I'm wondering how are how we accommodate that in our budget. It's coming out of capital reserves which is at a balance of almost $2 million. Um, it's just an unplanned expense out of that account, but we have the funds to do that. So,

any other questions? Brad, would someone like to entertain a motion? You mean I'd like to entertain a motion? Does someone want to make a motion? I move to approve funding for fire suppression upgrades from the library's capital campaign, excuse me, capital reserve fund account 91000 in the amount of $40,000. I'll seconded. Elizabeth moved. All in favor?

I I motion passes. Are we still on for the just arrived?

I'll just come up here if that's okay. Real really really quickly. Just wanted to provide an update to you all about the transportation planning happening on Snow King and director April Norton asked me to really emphasize that this will not happen in conjunction with 90 Virginia Lane. They're, you know, separate projects very much on separate paths. Um, but we are thinking ahead to the future of Snow King and specifically um the a potential roundabout here at Virginia Lane and Snow King. So, I printed a concept if um we'll just want to take one and pass it around. I think I printed enough for the board. Thank you. Um so, we again we've just done very preliminary conceptual design for if there comes a time when we need to put a roundabout here at Snow King in Virginia and what could that roundabout look like? And you'll see in the shading in this diagram represents the new real estate that the county or the town would need to acquire to uh make this roundabout work. And this is designed so that a transit bus, but also a tractor trailer, 65 foot long tractor trailer could navigate this roundabout because we do have some of those heavier vehicles. Um again, this is about all we've done. we have this diagram so that if uh we come to a point where we're ready to move forward with design, we would do more detailed design and move into construction. Um but we wanted to do this so that when the Virginia was being planned, we knew where they shouldn't put a building, right? We don't want the building encroaching in the area where we think we might need space for a roundabout. And so their design has already been adjusted to reflect that. Um, and I wanted to share this and Kip was kind enough to allow me to be here today because the town has asked each year um, when Congress reauthorizes the annual spending bill, they communities are invited to request congressionally directed spending aka

earmarks and the town has prioritized this for congressionally directed spending. So they have requested some funding to do the design and construction. Um, so it could happen in five years, it could happen in 15 years, it could it might never happen, but we did want to make you all as the library board aware that uh we're thinking about the future of Snow King and the future of the center section. Happy to take any questions. I'm assuming this meets all the standards of, you know, street, you know, standards setbacks and all that. Are is there anything here that's deviating from standards? They look really tight. That's why it has it.

It does meet the standards that other diagrams we did. There's a tool called gosh something turn auto turn and we've tracked how um a a start transit bus or a a tractor trailer would move through the intersection and they do have to track a bit off of the road to make this roundabout. But uh the reason for that is roundabouts are considered more efficient in a high volume scenario. So you you all probably experienced, you know, in the summertime and even yesterday or earlier this week, I was coming down Snow King and it got quite backed up. And so um while we are really cognizant about designing for safety, not just the convenience of the auto users, if there were an emergency evacuation situation in East Jackson, there's only two ways out. It's Snow King or Broadway. So we're thinking about that, too. And how can we make sure that uh things are flowing safely? And then how does this to your point, how does this connect what happens at the stop sign, what happens at the other locations.

Um, we think everything to the east is is suitable. To the west, Snow King and Scott, that's currently being realigned. There's a plan to realign Snow King and Scott. I'm not super in the weeds on that one. Brian Schilling, our pathways coordinator, has worked really closely with the town, and that one's moving along, too. They're hoping to do construction in 2028, the fiscal year. So, probably two years from now, we might see that intersection torn up. Um, to realign the pathways and realign that intersection to make it more of a four-way. Um, and I believe there's not room there to do a roundabout. And so, I I believe I could be wrong that that will remain an all-way stop.

Yeah, that one's really tough. I'm on the roadway transport as well. And that's a very tight intersection already, right? And and actually that's why we did this exercise is because if you look at um this corner, the northeast corner, if they had built their building, we would never be able to build a roundabout. And because that's what's happened at Scott and Maple is all the buildings are basically encroaching on the area you would need to build that roundabout. And a light at the corner here or no?

That's um we've talked about it. I think it doesn't yet meet the warrants, which are what do considers there. if there's a certain traffic volume that's occurring there, then they would say that that meets a warrant, but they also want them to be at least a quarter mile apart and we're not a quarter mile from Scott Lane. So, that's that's not really contemplated in the near future.

Is the orange um on the south end that's a pedestrian pathway that would be further out than where the cars? Yes, I think that orange is showing where there'd be a if there's a separated bike path, the bike path would cross and then because there's a the there's those transverse bars in black for the pedestrian crossing

or it's it's kind of I think we have two options there. We could move the crossing further to the south to create that extra space and time between modes. Um or maybe we could keep them combined and have a single crossing. Is there any data that they um just Americans are not great at roundabouts always? What what kind of data do they have up near the airport on kind of compliance problems that arise? So my that's a very different situation. Speed

it is it's higher speed. Uh we would hope that people would learn. I think they are becoming more uh prevalent. There's there's a lot of communities in the US that are redesigning all their intersections to be roundabouts. Um, and my understanding is that a lot of the issues that happen at the Gro roundabout are due to drunk or impaired driving and high speed. And so as long as people are coming in slowly, it's it's a traffic calming measure, um, then they're able to navigate them. But the the finer points like using your turn signal when you enter and exit a roundabout, though, yes, there's certainly some education could be done around that. I'm also wondering if there could be education encouraging um larger vehicle operators to not take smoking and they can use the you know the more appropriate Broadway access to the town or about town

right yes I uh we've talked about this internally because ideally that you you could be direct ing trucks in that way. But there is this I think right next door to you or just down the street here there's a distribution center. Um and then during the summer with the fairgrounds um but yes agreed we could do more around educating on truck routes for sure. There's a great uh Teton mobility project has like a really amazing robust GIS map of how the town and county are thinking about moving pedestrians, vehicles, different speeds, different users throughout the whole town. There's a fascinating overlay of how we're trying to design different corridors for different user types and speeds. And there's like lots of high level thinking about that. But better signage with better ways in which we actually direct people to those appropriate routes is a big problem.

Okay.

Thank you. Um, so, uh, we we're want to talk about recruitment. Um, Vicki, I think she's there. Are you there, Vicki? Um, Vicki has pretty much confirmed that Oh, there you are. Hi, Vicki. Um Vicki has confirmed that she will not be um running again for a position on the library board when her term expires this uh July. Is that right, Vicki? Yes, she says. Okay. Um and Peg, have you decided? I think if I if we could find a different treasurer um mostly because I'm having trouble with the timing of being here in person. So I'm happy to help but that would be um one issue um and that I don't want to chair. That would be the second issue. I've done it plenty of times on other boards. Um I'm trying to take a little more time myself. So, um,

if that can if that's something we think we can work out, happy to talk about it. Yeah. And, um, I don't I've talked to Elizabeth to consider the possibility of taking on the treasure duties. I don't know if you've come to any conclusions about that. Miles, um, I actually would like to continue as chair so that I can finally master how to man. I just need one more year at the um so I think I would like to continue with share for another year. Um how do you feel about the possibility of doing vouchers?

Sure. I just worry that my inperson work during the week really often flipped with that. Yeah. And your summers too when you're out often back. Yeah. Yes. Um, so Elizabeth, not to him, put you on the spot.

I'm absolutely happy to step into the role as treasurer. Peg, we want to keep you. Uh, I really appreciated the training yesterday and see that the staff absolutely is a support system for the treasurer with any questions they may have. And if for some reason I can't do it one month um like we're seeing next month Peg I know someone will be able to step in. So yes I will. Okay. One last thing when we did it together it actually was pretty awesome. So I'm happy you know keep the ball rolling. It's not cut off.

I very much would love to come and learn that process and I did it once too. So I think this is that one. Great. Um so do we want to have a conversation about recruitment for our board position? Um the library has gotten a lot of attention this year. There might be a lot of interest in our open seat. Um but I thought maybe um we should have a little conversation about what an ideal addition to our board would look like. Does that sound good? Um, I'm wondering what what you're thinking

because we don't have a regular meeting in April and May is kind of late time to have the conversation. Today is the best time for that.

Typically, I think it's a good idea to recruit um just to make sure that we have a good candidate. Um, and I'm thinking that it would be very nice to have someone who has children in in the schools. And secondly, the second characteristic would be nice to have another male on our board. So Miles doesn't feel, you know, like he's holding down a huge responsibility representing his gender. So, um, yeah. any any other ideas on that? I mean, I think any kind of diversity is really

and work diversity and this is something that will be open to it will be an invite from the county commissioners and anyone can apply. However, what we're talking about is maybe targeting specific needs. Okay. So, making sure I understand that. Yeah. And so I guess I would say if you have any ideas of individuals you think um would be a good ask to um apply for an interview for a position on our board. I would ask that you just send your recommendations to me and I'll put together a list that we can share and then we'll decide how to go about that.

When are they going to start advertising? because it's not currently on the coming side is um Vicky already going to be gone in July. Seems like they might put that up. I don't remember exactly when they do it, but I know they do interviews in late May or June. So, they probably need to open it soon. Maybe right after spring break up. I think that's when it opened the last time. Is there anything on our end that we need to remind the county or their they take care? Yeah, councilman has exited some

regarding the county. Oh, Kip, please continue. I'm sorry. Um there will be two openings and um we can just assume that Peg will be reappointed unless she makes enemies of some county commissioners now and then. I mean, you know, um but so yes, there will be two openings and that's just um according to what our bylaws are. So reapply.

Oh, um I do have a question. I'm not sure of the governance of the county or the way um it works completely with applicants, but I wonder if we might be able to or they um identify those who applied last year but were not selected to encourage them to reconsider applying. I think one of the most important qualities in my opinion is um that the person cares and that they're invested and if someone applied in the past, we know that that exists already. Do we do we know who else applied besides you and Miles?

That's what I'm saying. I don't know. And I don't know if that can be public. I have the list. I have their applications. Um, okay. I would recommend not doing that. Um, okay. It requires initiative and I I think they should take that initiative. Life conditions change and um I do believe we got the best candidates last year. So, I respect that. I respect that.

Thank you, Kip. And then it kind of goes without saying, but um you know Diana, thank you and the foundation for making this year such a highprofile year for the library and our importance. So I think if um if need be, maybe we could connect to explore um some of the people who you guys really engaged with or you know even if it's an email list or something, but would love to not overlook all that you've done. And I'd like to add on to that too, Elizabeth, that um I'm hoping that at our next in-person meeting in May that we can have a discussion about how we are proactively garnering the support of our community because this issue that came up, the um sexually explicit materials and libraries moved back again in the next session, which is a general session, which will even be more dangerous. because you know you have to remember that this bill failed because it wasn't considered by the Senate that doesn't mean it was defeated. So, um I think everywhere in the state, we need to be thinking about how between now and the next legislative session, we improve our um awareness in our communities about the values of our libraries and what we're um what we've, you know, how important the right to read is. Um, and hopefully those communities will all agree with the libraries that the right to read is is a critically important right.

Can I just And may Uhhuh. Go ahead, Vicki. Um, I think one of the things we also need to consider is how we would respond if something like HR10 were to fa pass because we are we're a public library and what can we do? Okay. Yeah, that's a good point. That is a that is it. I don't know that it will pass. None of us do. But we need to be prepared for how we're going to do that.

They're not saying take all these books out of the library. They're t saying take it out of the youth wing. Right. And we will um talk about that in May. So uh we can something to think about. What? Well, the county commissioners were already crafting a way around it. However, my question is, do we have influence over the questions asked in the interview by the commissioners?

We don't get to choose the questions. Uh when I started I did ask them to consider at least some of the basics like where do they stand on intellectual freedom and book censorship and stuff and they did incorporate that into their um but all of you have been interviewed by them. It's it's pretty brief little why do you want to be on the board and but that question was but that is one that and they didn't used to ask that I guess so um they do that now. So right there is a little bit but

depending on who the chair is they may ask me my thoughts on the candidates they may not um so I do attend interviews with and and it's really good to know what we've gone through over the past year is that our board of county commissioners definitely supports the right so we're um I I don't think there's one um commissioner who would not u support the defeat by house 10.

So that's a really great thing that we have here. I mean they did have working on it. Right. If we are concerned, it feels appropriate that the board could send a letter to the county commissioners before those interviews of years of the type of candidate experience. There is conversation, right? Give going into the interviews or after the interviews are it depends on I actually think your suggestion makes more sense than waiting to see if they decide to ask me or something. Um, I think it might be nice to send a letter to them.

All right. Well, send me your recommendations and uh I will share mine with you and we'll move forward on that. Thank you. Um, okay. How much time can we spend on the strategic direction? As much time as you want to spend. Okay. Um I mean within reason. Yeah.

Um well, we'll just go ahead and jump in and see what um your thoughts are. And I hope everybody had a chance to um read the over the strategic plan and Kip's um summary of conversations with staff regarding the strategic plan. Um, and I can go ahead and start the conversation because I have um something that I would like to contribute. Um, and if you do, please um, let me know. But, um, I did this morning send out um, the letter that Natalia Dunker or Macker shared this week. Um, and I I really liked it. And um, I don't know, did you see it, Diana? I didn't include you, but she um kind of based her um her letter on this idea of what if we collective collectively wage care instead of more. And I just really like that notion of how as a library I I've noticed in the strate strategic plan there's a lot about how we as a library meet the needs of our community. And um I'm wondering if the strategic plan could include a little bit more about how we as a community of workers meet the needs of our staff. And I think we're thinking about that all the time. I mean, you have uh plans and a and a program for meeting staff

needs, caring for staff. Um, and I'm just wondering, um, I noticed in the strategic plan that it's pri um, priority 4 that includes information about staff and, um, goal one identifies and um, the Ton County Library identifies and pursues organizational needs, employee development, resilience, and growth. And potential actions include increase investment in staff and board trainings. And um and then a indicator of success is patron reports of feeling welcomed, represented and representative represented and engaged. um also highly engaged and invested staff and um community reports that the library is trusted and valued are the indicators of success. And I I wonder if our strate strategic plan could include how we engage as staff in our library with the community to um develop these indicators of success. And um I just wonder as a board we have identified a a sense that we really want to um encourage a healthy work community and atmosphere at the library. and um is there room in the strategic plan to address that more direct rapidly

than we currently do? And and and then I guess the next part of this question is is this the kind of updates that could be included if that's what we're doing. Maybe you could explain a little bit K what exactly we are doing with our strategic plan which comes to its full nation in 2027. Sure. Um, so I kind of went all over the place there. So follow me if you can.

Can I just make a comment, Kip, before you start or a question? Um, this is an existing strategic plan. Might what Mary Lee is talking about be something we would uh create or add for the next strategic plan. I think that's what Mary Lee was asking. Okay. Um she and I talked earlier uh in preparation for the meeting. Um so I'll I'll jump back a little bit and get a bit. Yeah. Thank you.

So the strategic plan that's in place right now runs 2023 to 2027. um whether that's the beginning or end of 2027, we we can decide as we move forward, I guess. Um but fiscal year,

we I think the key uh priorities in that strategic plan are still valid. Um, I don't know that if we spent $50,000 with a consultant to do an entirely new strategic plan that we would come up with something different. We might come up with different projects or um ideas under those. But I think those are kind of and to tie it to why I'm recommending a refresh is because also I for a number of reasons I think in about two years I would like to retire and say I'm done. Um and I would rather have a refreshed and extended strategic plan in place. um so that an incoming director doesn't inherit something that they had no input into. Um why tie their hands with something that they may have other ideas? Um, and so I'm recommending that we take our current strategic plan, do a community survey, have a focus group or two, um, talk about what we've done so far, and ask staff, ask the community what else we could do under those priorities that would make the library even better. And that would extend somewhere into 2029 maybe.

No, 3030 20. It would start, wouldn't it? Our our new strategic plan will start next year, 2027. It's fiscal year 2027 as of July 1st. We we can decide when it starts. Oh, we can decide it. Okay. We're thinking about extending the current uh strategic plan uh stretching into after to another two years with some refresh and updates. Oh, nice to know. When new staff person comes on board,

then that would be the time to do a new strategic plan for the next looking forward to the next five years or six or seven years. Yeah. Um, and I would think we would want to wait till after July when we have a new board in place to start the process. Yeah. Um, so I jumped a little bit ahead giving my input on what I would like to see the refresh possibly include. Um, and I think that's a a very good one.

Thank you. Um it it aligns with um when the county did its culture survey that's some of the things that um county employees wanted to see from the county. So I think it f it nicely. Yeah. So do so how would we proceed with this kit?

I think we get a new board in place. Um, so sometime late summer, I think we start the process again, talk about this, um, look at where we are again, what we've accomplished over the summer, and decide, do we want to hire a local consultant to prep a much shorter survey than the one we did last time, maybe, um, that's more focused on what we've done, um, and what the current priorities are and build a survey on that and ask the community and staff and the board um what else we could be doing under those priorities. Um evaluate what we've done so far and then um so it would be kind of like a mini um process.

So we would like be through the process by the end of this calendar. Yeah. Yeah. Um, do we need to say yes, no at this point? Should we have this as an agenda item in May where we would say that's how we want to proceed with our strategic plan? Is that the way that we would move this forward, this idea or reject it because the work's going to fall on a new board? I feel like maybe you don't want to buy the other board.

Not that it's going to change much probably. Um but I would rather I would recommend waiting until July to decide. Okay. Um I think that the intent of moving forward is a good one and readress it. I'm I'm okay with the concept of a mini

uh update, if you will, a mini process. Um, and I think that the new board, whatever that makeup is, will have specific kind of I would say like an addend addendum items that we can um weave in knowing because there are a lot of things that are either ongoing um or you know that that we need to work on here anyway. So I'm I'm good with the concept and happy to talk about at the board of faith. Something that we haven't really ever done as a board and the commissioners do it at the start of their new year is have a board retreat where

we just sit and talk about our ideas and our future and identify the priorities for maybe not a three-day retreat but a half day. Yeah. Like that because it is being so focused. Yeah. Elizabeth, do you have any thoughts on this idea? I think this sounds like a great plan waiting to incorporate the new board members and I'm really excited to be involved. Good. Yeah, I think interested in moving forward. I think I'm always hesitant of throwing a lot of money at a outside consultant when I think there's already a lot of knowledge story in this room and

in the library but I think adjusting it for looking forward is really important but it's just think that there's a lot of fatigue already because in that well said Miles that's that's a great comment um what we have is a beautiful strategic plan and to just refresh it is a great idea and I'll comment in May even though I can't comment for July.

All right, thank you very much everyone. Um, it's good to get a sense of that. And, uh, I wonder if there are any other matters from board members, employees, supporting organizations. It looks like people are ready for a little celebration here. So, um, if there aren't any other matters, um, we'll move on to our recognition that we have planned. Um, all right. And I'm going to stand up because it's too bad that I can't see both my way back. Um, so uh we're here to celebrate uh Susan's 35 years as a sad employee. 30 more. Um and we just want to as a board um very much extend our appreciation for your longtime hard work. Um and um I'm just going to read this because I am really validating. Good morning everyone. It's a real honor to take a few moments today to recognize Susan Centrella and to celebrate her remarkable career with the library. Susan's story here begins nearly 35 years ago back when the library was still in the law pattern. Since that time, she has quite literally grown with the library through the move into a new building, through its expansion, and through years of change. Few people can say they greatness they contributed to that kind of evolution in place. Over the years, Susan T has worked with at least 10 library directors and alongside countless scholars. Through all that

change, she has been a constant someone who shows up does the work and helps keep things moving forward. That kind of steady dedication is something every organization depends on and something we put on. Over the years, Susan has worked with at least 10 library relationships has built over the years with co-workers, with patrons, and with this community. A career like hers leaves a lasting imprint not just on the institution but on the people who have had the chance to work with her. Susan, on behalf of the library board, thank you for your 35 years of service, your commitment, and everything you've given to this library. It has truly mattered. We are so pleased to celebrate you today. I'd like to be present with you with this small gift as a token of our appreciation. And I guess we're having a little party here. So, thank you. We can't have the party till you adjourn the meeting.

Um, all right. Would someone like to make a motion to adjourn the meeting? I move to adjourn this March 19th, 2026 regular meeting. and I'm very sorry I can't be there. Thank you, Vicki. Second. Second. Second. All in favor? I motion pass. Bye everybody.