Library Board

MORGANTOWN PUBLIC LIBRARY Approved 2021.01.21 Minutes of the Regular Meeting November 19, 2020 Absent: Also Present: Others Present: Present: Sarah Palfrey Sue Carpenter Kelly Funkhouser Linda Durfee Sarah Scharf Meredith Hartery Judy Panagakos Penny Pugh Call to order The regular meeting of the Board of Trustees of the Morgantown Public Library convened via Zoom Video Conferencing on November 19, 2020. The meeting convened at 9:03 am, Judy Panagakos, President presiding, Sarah Scharf, secretary. Approval of the Minutes ● October 15, 2020 - Linda moved to approve the minutes as presented. The motion passed unanimously. PUBLIC FORUM ● None CORRESPONDENCE AND COMMUNICATIONS ● Email from a patron thanking us for our efforts in maintaining digital library collection. ● Thank you and donuts from Erin Clemens and the Literacy Volunteers. ● Voicemail complaint about our mask requirement. If the Board receives more correspondence regarding masks, they will draft an official response. ● Patron complaint about the inability to renew books more than once. However after the WVLN merge, some policies such as this may defer to local library decisions. REPORTS OF COMMITTEES/OFFICERS A. President – None B. Treasurer – 1. Approval of Checks - Financial statements were distributed via email. Meredith moved to approve checks as presented. The motion passed. 2. Health insurance rates will change starting 2021. 2.32% increase for single 1.61% for family. Kelly Funkhouser will send more detailed information to the board. Penny Pugh moved that the Library absorb the cost increase this year but look forward to evaluating a new approach to handling these increases next year. The motion passed. REPORT OF THE LIBRARY DIRECTOR & BRANCH UPDATES ● The HVAC upgrade is on track to be finished this week. ● The replacement 2nd floor door is installed. The ground floor door installation has been delayed 8-10 weeks due to a manufacturing mistake. ● Circulation and usage statistics will be emailed to the board later this week. ● Dial-A-Story received 290 calls during the first week of use, along with many positive comments from patrons. November featured more readers, and December will have some guest readers in other languages. Lynda Lukenbaugh is overseeing the service for us. Board Minutes – November 19, 2020 – Page 2 ● Sarah Palfrey spoke with Tom Bloom about future facility improvements and replacements. He was particularly interested in facilitating the conversation about the Clinton fire department property. ● Sarah Palfrey presented at October’s Committee of the Whole city council meeting. Barry Wendell expressed interest in a public library location in Suncrest. ● The WVLN merge continues, and the expected go- live date for the merger is on track for Dec, 2020. NORLN libraries will be down for cataloging for the first week of December and circulation will be down for the 7th and 8th. Sarah Palfrey would like to close on the 9th for staff training and to catch up on manual entries. ● The admin area was severely damaged from a sewage backup November 11 between 5-8pm. ServePro worked that night and intermittently for 4 days to clean up and to install fans and dehumidifiers. Damaged carpet was removed and all surfaces are now dry. Two potential fixes may prevent this from happening again, but the cost is currently unknown. Darrin Baker is consulting with an engineer, and the board is interested in talking to a representative from MUB to discuss further remedies. We may rearrange the workspace floorplan before new carpet is installed. ● Donna Balderson is retiring Dec 19 after 34 years of library service. A new Head of Public Service job description is being drafted. ● Holly Miller (part-time at Cheat) will be retiring in January, 2021. ● Community plans for the coming months include a Scavenger hunt with Mainstreet Morgantown, Book Trail with Mulkeen Landscaping, and a possible partnership with LOTSA for a January reading challenge. ● The library is assisting local non-profits (e.g. Literacy Volunteers, Spark and YCF) in adjusting their grant funded programs. ● Branch updates: ○ Cheat library won “best scarecrow” at the Botanical Gardens. They are also posting many adult crafts activities on Facebook. ○ Clay Battelle held a pumpkin decorating contest. ○ The Aull Center has created a variety of online programming, and their Facebook and TikTok pagers are receiving many views. ○ Clinton is still slow, but not more than expected. ○ Arnettsville - Last month the Board met with the Arnettsville Community Association board about the building inspection, cost estimates of major required repairs, and lease renewal. Roof replacement was estimated at $167,000, and asbestos abatement at $180,000. Judy Panagakos reported that the Association has resumed their fundraising efforts, but that this barely covers their utility bills. Discussion followed about the future of the Arnettsville property and the possibility of selling it after a market assessment. Sue Carpenter moved that the Library does a one-year lease with the Association with the intention that we will be doing a market evaluation and possibly putting the property up for sale. The motion passed unanimously. UNFINISHED BUSINESS ● COVID-19 plan - no changes. ● Investment Policy - Judy Panagakos will send out the document to the board again via email. Judy asks that the board review it and send changes to her before December 1. NEW BUSINESS ● Arnettsville Lease - see above ● Strategic Plan - no updates BOARD COMMENTS ● none Board Minutes –November 19, 2020– Page 3 EXECUTIVE SESSION - The Board entered into Executive Session at 10:41am. The Board reconvened at 11:07am. Linda Durfee moved that the Morgantown Public Library System participate in the Tobacco/Nicotine Cessation program as put forth by the City of Morgantown with the following exception. If the employee selects “I have used tobacco/nicotine products in the last 6 months but will complete the approved tobacco cessation program by 12/1/2021,” the library will allow the incentive through 2/28/2021. If the employee has not completed the program by 2/28/2021, the financial incentive will be removed and the employee will pay $25/pay period but can become eligible for reimbursement once the tobacco cessation program requirements have been met by the deadlines. The motion passed. ADJOURNMENT – Linda Durfee moved to adjourn. The motion carried unanimously. The meeting adjourned at 11:15am. NEXT MEETING - December 17, 2020 at 9:00am