MINUTES OF THE MEETING
THRALL PUBLIC LIBRARY DISTRICT
OF MIDDLETOWN AND WALLKILL
BOARD OF TRUSTEES
July 9, 2014
I. Attendance
Ms. Lange called the roll.
Present
Mrs. Lois Ruckert, President
Ms. Barbara Kay, Treasurer (arrived 7:03pm)
Ms. Marlena Lange, Secretary
Mrs. Rosa Boyd
Mr. Richard C. Bell
Mr. Carl Berkowitz
Mr. Matthew Pfisterer, Director
Absent
Mrs. Tonia Crown, Vice President (excused)
Visitors
Jill Fiumano, Principal Account Clerk
II. Agenda
A. Roll Call G. Treasurer's Report
B. Minutes H. Library Staff Reports
C. Visitor Comments I. Committee Report
D. Correspondence J. Old Business
E. President's Report K. New Business
F. Director's Report L. Adjournment
III. Discussion and Recommendation
A. Mrs. Lois Ruckert, President, opened the meeting at 7:00pm and led the pledge to the flag.
B. Minutes
Mrs. Boyd moved for adoption of the minutes of the June 11, 2014 meeting with the
following corrections: Under New Business add under Ayes, Ms. Lange and Mrs. Boyd
for total of 6 for approving the resolution changing Treasurer to Financial Officer in the
By-Laws. Ms. Lange seconded.
Ayes: Ruckert, Bell, Berkowitz, Kay, Lange, Boyd - 6
Noes: None
Motion declared approved. (07/09/14 - 47)
C. Visitor Comments
No comments.
The Board moved the Business Office report by Jill Fiumano up on the agenda.
D. Correspondence
A copy of all correspondence sent to each Board member is attached to the official
minutes.
E. President's Report
Mrs. Ruckert reported that there will be two workshops being held at RCLS. One is
Library Law 101, October 21st and the other is Open Meeting Law on November 20th.
You can register using the RCLS Calendar.
F. Director's Report Con't.
(A copy of the Director's Report sent to each Board member is attached to the official minutes.)
Mr. Berkowitz moved to go into executive session at 7:32pm to discuss personnel matters.
Mr. Bell seconded.
Ayes: Ruckert, Bell, Berkowitz, Kay, Lange, Boyd - 6
Noes: None
Motion declared approved. (07/09/14 - 49)
The Board returned from executive session at 8:00pm.
G. Financial Report
Mrs. Fiumano reported on the accounts and balances. (Attached to official minutes)
H. Library Staff Reports
Mrs. Fiumano reported on the audit and on the accounts and balances.
I. Committee Reports
Finance Committee: Ms. Kay moved that the regular monthly disbursements for June
2014 in the amount of $95,684.05 having been audited by Carl Berkowitz and found to be
correct, be approved.
BUDGET AMENDMENT #5
Resolved that the Board of Trustees of Middletown Thrall Library amend the 2014 budget
to be increased as follows:
ADD
Revenue L2705 Donations
N. Salz $ 21.00
book talk sales donation
ADD
APPROPRIATIONS
L7410.8425.12.0000.0 Adult Program $ 21.00
Ms. Lange seconded.
Ayes: Ruckert, Bell, Berkowitz, Kay, Lange, Boyd - 6
Noes: None
Motion declared approved. (07/09/14 - 48)
Building & Grounds: Ms. Lange reported on Building & Grounds.
Mr. Pfisterer spoke to a local architect and asked him to submit a proposal for creating
architectural blueprints for the remodel of the first floor bathroom area.
Mr. Pfisterer asked Tri-County for an estimate of replacement costs for the library boilers.
One of the library's two air-conditioning units has been serviced and we have experienced
no cooling problems thus far.
One of the surveillance cameras has malfunctioned and will be replaced.
We will be installing heat/smoke detectors in the first floor bathrooms.
J. Old Business
Discussion was held on the proposed Amendments to the By-Laws.
Mr. Berkowitz moved to accept the proposed Amendments to the Library District By-
Laws. Ms. Kay seconded.
Ayes: Ruckert, Bell, Berkowitz, Kay, Lange, Boyd - 6
Noes: None
Motion declared approved. (07/09/14 - 50)
Discussion was held. Ms. Lange and Mrs. Boyd will be on the By-Laws Committee. If
any trustee has any changes e-mail them to Ms. Lange or Mrs. Boyd.
K. New Business
Ms. Lange moved that whereas, the adoption of this 2015 budget for the Thrall Public
Library District of Middletown and Wallkill requires a tax levy increase that exceeds the
tax cap imposed by state law as outlined in general Municipal Law Section 3-c adopted in
2011; and
Whereas, general Municipal Law Section 3-c expressly permits the library board to
override the tax levy limit by a resolution approved by a vote of sixty percent of qualified
board members; now therefore be it
Resolved, that the Board of Trustees of the Thrall Public Library District of
Middletown and Wallkill vote and approve to exceed the tax levy limit for 2015.
Mrs. Boyd seconded.
Ayes: Ruckert, Bell, Berkowitz, Kay, Lange, Boyd - 6
Noes: None
Motion declared approved. (07/09/14 - 51)
Discussion was held on the preliminary budget for 2015.
Ms. Lange moved that the Middletown Thrall Library Board of Trustees accept the
Proposed 2015 preliminary budget as presented. Mr. Berkowitz seconded.
Ayes: Ruckert, Bell, Berkowitz, Kay, Lange, Boyd - 6
Noes: None
Motion declared approved. (07/09/14 - 52)
L. Adjournment
Ms. Lange moved to adjourn the meeting at 8:35pm. Mr. Berkowitz seconded.
Ayes: Ruckert, Bell, Berkowitz, Kay, Lange, Boyd - 6
Noes: None
Motion declared approved. (07/09/14 -53)
Respectfully submitted,
Marlena Lange, Secretary
TABLE OF MOTIONS
(01/08/14 - 1) Accepted slate of officers
(01/08/14 - 2) Designated Middletown Times Herald Record as official newspaper
(01/08/14 - 3) Designated the Orange County Trust Company as official bank
(01/08/14 - 4) Designated Stifel-Nicholas as Investment Firm
(01/08/14 - 5) Appointed Robert Isseks as Library District's Attorney
(01/08/14 - 6) Adjournment
(01/08/14 - 7) Approval of 12/11/13 minutes
(01/08/14 - 8) Approved President, Treasurer & Library Director as signatories to Orange
County Trust Bank
(01/08/14 - 9) Amended #8 motion to include R. Boyd as trustee signatory
(01/08/14 - 10) Adjournment
(02/12/14 - 11) Approval of 1/8/14 re-organizational minutes
(02/12/14 - 12) Approval of 1/8/14 regular minutes
(02/12/14 - 13) Approved BUDGET AMENDMENT #10 (12/31/13); monthly
disbursements for 12/13; BUDGET AMENDMENT #1 (2/12/14);
monthly disbursements for 1/14
(02/12/14 - 14) Executive session
(02/12/14 - 15) Returned from executive session
(02/12/14 - 16) Approved to follow through discussion in executive session
(02/12/14 - 17) Adjournment
(03/12/14 - 18) Approval of 2/24/14 minutes
(03/12/14 - 19) Approved monthly disbursements for 2/14; BUDGET TRANSFER #5 (12/31/13)
(03/12/14 - 20) Approved BUDGET AMENDMENT #2 (3/12/14)
(03/12/14 - 21) Accepted NYS Annual Report for 2013
(03/12/14 - 22) Adopted revision to smoking policy
(03/12/14 - 23) Adopted Children's Room Use Policy
(03/12/14 - 24) Executive session
(03/12/14 - 25) Adjournment
(03/27/14 - 26) Executive session
(03/27/14 - 27) Proceed what was discussed in executive session
(03/27/14 - 28) Adjournment
(04/09/14 - 29) Executive session
(04/09/14 - 30) Approved procedures as discussed in executive session
(04/09/14 - 31) Approved reg. mtg. minutes 3/12/14 & spec. mtg. minutes 3/27/14
(04/09/14 - 32) Approved BUDGET AMENDMENT #3
(04/09/14 - 33) Approved monthly disbursements for March 2014; BUDGET TRANSFER
#1
(04/09/14 - 34) Approved 2014 election timetable
(04/09/14 - 35) Adjournment
(05/15/14 - 36) Approval of 4/9/14 minutes
(05/15/14 - 37) Approved monthly disbursement for April 2014
(05/15/14 - 38) Approved BUDGET TRANSFER #6
(05/15/14 - 39) Resolution that term Treasurer be changed to Financial Officer
(05/15/14 - 40) Executive session
(05/15/14 - 41) Adjournment
(06/11/14 - 42) Approval of 5/15/14 minutes
(06/11/14 - 43) Approved monthly disbursements for May 2014 & BUDGET AMENDMENT # 4
(06/11/14 - 44) Accepted changes to By-Laws for financial officer
(06/11/14 - 45) Approved letter nominating c. Berkowitz to RCLS Board
(06/11/14 - 46) Adjournment
(07/09/14 - 47) Approval of 6/11/14 minutes with a correction
(07/09/14 - 48) Approved monthly disbursements for June 2014 & BUDGET AMENDMENT #5
(07/09/14 - 49) Executive session
(07/09/14 - 50) Approved proposed Amendments to By-Laws
(07/09/14 - 51) Approved NYS Override Amendment
(07/09/14 - 52) Accepted proposed 2015 preliminary Budget
(07/09/14 - 53) Adjournment