CATOOSA COUNTY LIBRARY BOARD OF TRUSTEES Board Meeting Minutes April24,2024-4,00) p.m.  Members Present: Shirley Smith, Rachel Lamar, and Karen Willis Others Present: Sarah Holmes and Meghan Herbel  . Call to Order: Shirley Smith, Board Chair, called the meeting to order at 4:03 p.m. Aq quorum was II. Approval of Agenda: Ms. Lamar made a motion to approve the agenda, Ms. Willis seconded, and the III. Approval of Minutes: Upon review, the Minutes of the Regular Meeting on January 23, 2024, were approved with unanimous consent aftera motion made by Ms. Willis and seconded by Ms. Lamar. IV. Approval of Directors Report: Ms. Holmes, Library Director, presented the quarterly director's report  present.  motion was approved unanimously.  with a slide deck of pictures as visual accompaniment.  The report included a project and facilities update with special thanks to county maintenance fort their work and attention to our landscaping and help to staff with making interior adjustments to the library such as moving and removing furniture and: shelving to improve the overall look, line of sight, and operational efficiency. Ms. Holmes also shared May 9, 2024, as the arrival date of the news storytime Ms. Holmes shared some photos from the library's new (ASL Basics) and more popular ongoing (Bingo and Storytime) programs. In addition, Ms. Holmes shared some of the library's outreach and community engagement efforts this past quarter including but not limited to storytimes at neighboring daycares, Read Across America programs withi the schools, Ringgold Elementary Math and Reading Night, hosting Boynton Elementary's March Madness Field" Trip, LIFT, Link @ the Y, our work with the Early Literacy Task Force and Senior Center Outreach. There was some discussion about how important iti is to provide educational programs surrounding digital literacy and internet safety and ways to protect oneself from Ms. Holmes announced anticipating a new member to bej joining our full-time staffi ine early May. Ms. Holmes was also very proud to share that the Catoosa County Library won North Georgia's Best oft the Finally, Ms. Holmes shared an FY2025 budget update from. Julie Walker, State Librarian, which included a 4% salaryi increase to formula-funded positions, and that there was an increase to cover rising SHBP  furniture.  fraudulent activity.  Best "Place to Take Your Kids" for 2024.  employer share costs. Our material funding is $0.70 per capita this year.  V. Unfinished Business: None. VI. New Business:    A. Information Items: Ms. Holmes presented the following to the board as information items.  Budget Report: Ad copy oft the report is included in the packet and incorporated by reference. The libraryi is oni target for spending. Some discussion ensued about SPLOST projects and what money will cover. Some projects in the works are new furniture, ii. Statistics Report: A copy oft the report isi included in the packet and incorporated by reference. Ms. Holmes shared that this ist the first year that our library has surpassed iii. Certifications Regarding Debarment, Suspension and other responsibility matters; Drug-Free Workplace Requirements; Lobbying; Federal Debt Status; and Nondiscrimination: Ms. Holmes shared a copy oft this document that needed tol be reviewed and signed for compliance. It will be returned to GPLS for the Annual Report. i. Library Director Evaluation: Present board members decided to review, discuss, and  updated security, and int the future, new carpet! previous years in total circulation (digital and physical).  B. Discussion Items:  complete the evaluation during a called meeting in May.  C. Action Items:  Request for Director travel to Spring Library Directors' Meeting in Albany, GA April 30- May 3, 2024: Ms. Holmes shared a copy of this request to be ratified as it was signed by Ms. Smith on March 25, 2024, to meet the registration deadline. It was approved unanimously: aftera a motion by Ms. Willis and a second by Ms. Lamar. ii. Approval of RTC Contract for 361 months regarding 1g Internet (up and down): Ms. Holmes presented this contract that was signed on March 19, 2024, to meet eRate submission deadlines. Ms. Lamar made a motion to accept. The motion was seconded iii. Approval of RTC Contract for 36 months regarding Internet Network/Wifi Management: Ms. Holmes presented this contract that was signed on March 19, 2024, to meet eRate submission deadlines. Ms. Lamar made a motion to accept. The motion iv. Approval of FY2025 Proposed Library Budget to begin. July 1, 2024: Ms. Holmes presented the expected budget for FY2025 and indicated that while the state budget was set and would not likely change, the county budget has a different fiscal year and sO the number was a best estimate with a note that it may increase due to Ms. Holmes requesting SHBP employer share coverage for full-time employees as well as a raise for full-time employees to the average bracket of payi in their respective pay bands as well asa raise for part-time employees to $15 per hour. All board members supported this request. Ms. Willis made a motion to accept the FY2025 budget. Ms. Lamar seconded V. Approval of FY2025 Application for State. Aid to Public Libraries: Ms. Holmes presented this annual application which was reviewed. Ms. Lamar made a motion to approve the application. Ms. Willis seconded the motion and the application was approved vi. Approval of FY2025 Director Salary Approval Form: Ms. Holmes presented this form ands salary to the board. Ms. Lamar made a motion to approve the FY: 2025 Library  by Ms. Willis and approved unanimously.  was seconded by Ms. Willis and approved unanimously.  the motion and it was passed with unanimous consent.  unanimously.  Director: Salary and Benefits as follows:  Director Salary Director Benefits  $83,028.80 $38,221.09    Director Total  $121,249.89  Ms. Willis seconded the motion and the FY: 2025 Library Director salary was approved vii. Approval of FY2025 Signature Authority: This item was presented tot the board. Ms. Lamar made a motion to approve and Ms. Willis seconded the motion. It was approved vili. Request for School Supplies for Fines- - May: Ms. Holmes requested that during May, patrons be allowed to waive overdue fines on Catoosa County Library items in exchange for donated school: supplies. This drive would be a partnership with Communitiesin Schools. Ms. Willis made a motion to approve and it was seconded by Ms. Lamar and ix. Request for Food for Fines- -June: Ms. Holmes requested that during June, patrons be allowed to waive overdue fines on Catoosa County Library items in exchange for donated unopened food. This drive would be a partnership with the Northwest Georgia branch of the Chattanooga Food Bank. Ms. Willis made a motion to approve which was X. Request for Catoosa County Library to go Fines Free starting. July 2024: Ms. Holmes shared a presentation fort the proposal. Some discussion ensued about overall cost VS benefits and steps to take if approved. Ms. Lamar made a motion to approve the proposal. Ms. Willis seconded the motion and the board approved the proposal with  unanimously.  with unanimous consent.  approved unanimously.  seconded by Ms. Lamar and approved with unanimous consent.  unanimous consent.  VII. Public Comments: None VIII. Trustee Comments: None  IX. Next Meeting Date: Called Meeting on Tuesday, May 9, 2024 at 4:00 p.m. to complete Library Director Evaluation. The next Regular Meeting willl be on' Wednesday,- July 17, 2024, time to be determined at the X. Adjourn: Ms. Willis made a motion to adjourn the meeting at 5:27 p.m. The motion was seconded by  called meeting.  Ms. Lamar and approved unanimously.  Minutes submitted by: Sarah Holmes  Approved: Mya  Date:  7-12-2004