Library Board

Keene Memorial Library Board Meeting City Council Chambers, 2nd Floor/ Online via ZOOM 400 E. Military Ave, Fremont NE 6:30 P.M. March 15, 2021 Minutes Held at the City Council Chambers, 2nd Floor and Board President Tom Adamson called the meeting to order at 6:30 pm. Roll Call The following members were present: Tom Adamson, Amanda Moenning and Linda McClain. Shari Kment was absent and LeAnn Rathke was present after motion to adopt current agenda. Also present was Laura England-Biggs, Interim Library Director and Assistant City Administrator Shane Wimer. Senior Office Associate Tracy Parr will be recording the meeting minutes. Notice of Meeting and Agenda The meeting was preceded by publicized notice in the Fremont Tribune and the agenda is posted in the Administration Office at Keene Memorial Library, 1030 North Broad Street and online at www.fremontne.gov and distributed. A copy of the open meetings law is posted continually for public inspection and is located near the entrance of the meeting room. Agenda Motion to adopt agenda for March 15 2021 regular meeting. Board Member Moenning moved, seconded by Board Member McClain to adopt the agenda for March 15 2021 Library Board Meeting. Ayes: Adamson, Moenning and McClain. Motion carried 3-0. Reading of Minutes Board Member McClain moved to dispense with and approve the February 15, 2021 minutes, seconded by Board Member Moenning. Ayes: Adamson, Moenning, McClain, and Rathke. Motion carried 4-0. Unfinished Business 1. Policy Manual update and vote to recommend to City Council Proposed changes were gone over by Interim Director Laura England-Biggs. Board Member Moenning made a motion to recommend to Council with Board Member Rathke seconding. Ayes: Adamson, Moenning, McClain and Rathke. Motion carried 4-0. New Business 1. By-Laws Update for review and to accept as presented The By-Laws were presented by Interim Director Laura England-Biggs for the Board to look over and come back at April’s meeting to make a motion. No action was taken. 2. Approval of library portion of the Master Fee Schedule. This was presented to the Library Board by Assistant City Administrator Shane Wimer. He explained that annually the city goes through the Master Fee Schedules for the entire city. He stated that based on conversations with Interim Library Director Laura England-Biggs and the fact that current trends in libraries have fines going away across the nation and state, we are recommending to remove overdue fines from the Master Fee Schedule. He went over the fact that the amount of revenue that fines brings in is minimal. Board Member Moenning made a motion to recommend to Council with Board Member Rathke seconding. Ayes: Adamson, Moenning, McClain and Rathke. Motion carried 4-0. Reports 1. Library Director’s Report a. Library Director Search Update: Assistant City Administrator Wimer reported that the application deadline is now closed. There are 12 applicants, that will be narrowed down to 5 by the end of the next day, then the selection committee will be reached out to, so they can look at the 5 potential candidates. It will be decided who will sit in with the selection committee for interviews. Interviews will most likely take place the following week based on ACA Wimer’s assumption. Once someone is selected they will go before the Mayor for final approval before going off to City Council for final approval. Board Member Adamson asked for a timeline for official hiring and according to ACA Wimer, we should have someone in place after the 2nd City Council Meeting in April. No action was taken. b. Expansion Update: There have been meetings and going over drawings and making fundraising plans. Linda McClain spoke to the fact that it’s been almost 3 years since the  voters of Fremont voted to approve the 2 million dollar bond issue and it’s time to finalize plans. She officially thanked the Fremont Area Community Foundation for their generous grant of $100,000 dollars. Active fundraising is beginning for the Grow With Us campaign. Shortly a video production will be available talking about the needs of our facility. The expansion committee is welcoming volunteers and donations. There is much more coming soon. A question as to how is the fundraising firm doing with helping us with grants. Interim Director Laura England-Biggs spoke to this saying that we have just finished the Peter Kiewit Foundation Request Summary, and have several other grants that are in various stages of completion as well. No action was taken. c. Staffing Update: We are back to 4 open library aide positions. We have one person who has accepted a position of library aide but we do not have all of the formal paperwork to announce the position as filled yet. We are actively looking for people to fill the open positions. The rest of staff is believed to be in very good spirits considering the extra time they have to spend at the desk. No action was taken. 2. Friends of the Library Report a. Interim Director England-Biggs spoke on behalf of Friends of the Library Board President Denise Kay. Membership postcards are going out this month to some lapsed members. There is a Pop Up Book Nook set up for April 23rd – 25th with free will donations. This is in place of the usual book sale that will not be happening this year. It will be in the East building and there may be some carts outdoors. Friends are trying to plan an activity in June or July to help promote the expansion project. It will be a joint project with the steering committee. Plans are to make it more of a family feel rather than a formal fundraising event, something outdoors most likely. No action was taken. 3. Finance - Library Expenditures Report. Interim Director England-Biggs noted that we aren’t really over in Communications; we are in a place between encumbered amount and spent at this time. Printing is over due to the printing of expansion project folders. No action was taken. With no further business, motion to adjourn was made at 7:09 p.m. with Board Member Rathke making the motion and Board Member Moenning seconding it. Ayes: Adamson, Moenning, McClain, and Rathke. Motion carried 4-0. Next meeting will be held at the City Council Chambers, 2nd Floor/ Online via ZOOM, on April 19, 2021 at 6:30 pm. Prepared by Laura England-Biggs, Interim Library Director Signed by Shari Kment, Library Board Secretary