MINUTES OF THE MEETING
THRALL PUBLIC LIBRARY DISTRICT
OF MIDDLETOWN AND WALLKILL
BOARD OF TRUSTEES
October 2, 2013
I. Attendance
Mrs. Crown called the roll.
Present
Mrs. Lois Ruckert, Vice President
Mrs. Tonia Crown, Secretary
Ms. Barbara Kay, Treasurer
Mr. Richard C. Bell
Ms. Marlena Lange
Mr. Carl Berkowitz
Mr. Matthew Pfisterer, Director
Absent
Mrs. Rosa Boyd, President (excused)
Visitors
None
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
Mrs. Lois Ruckert, Vice President, opened the meeting at 7:00pm and led the pledge to the
flag.
B. Minutes
Mr. Berkowitz moved for adoption of the minutes of the September 11, 2013 meeting.
Ms. Kay seconded.
Ayes: Bell, Berkowitz, Crown, Kay, Lange, Ruckert – 6
Noes: None
Motion declared approved. (10/02/13 – 59)
C. Visitor Comments
No comments.
D. Correspondence
A copy of all correspondence sent to each Board member is attached to the official
minutes.
Mr. Pfisterer revised the letter to the RCLS Direct Access Committee. Mr. Pfisterer did
not send the letter because there was correspondence between the Port Jervis and
Middletown Thrall Library Director's. The Port Jervis Board is willing to negotiate and
Mr. Pfisterer has given the Port Jervis Director the request that he would have submitted to
the Direct Access Committee. The Port Jervis Director will have a formal answer by the
end of October.
E. President's Report
Mr. Berkowitz reported that Mrs. Boyd and Linda Emanuel have been discussing how to
handle the reading program at the Galleria that was discussed at the September meeting.
F. Director's Report Con't.
(A copy of the Director's Report sent to each Board member is attached to the official
minutes.)
G. Treasurer's Report
No report.
H. Library Staff Reports
Mr. Pfisterer wanted to thank Donna Gady, Principal Library Clerk, for her 37 years of
service at the library.
I. Committee Reports
Finance Committee: Mr. Berkowitz moved that the regular monthly disbursements for
September 2013 in the amount of $74,101.41 having been audited by Tonia Crown and
found to be correct, be approved. Mr. Bell seconded.
Ayes: Bell, Berkowitz, Crown, Kay, Lange, Ruckert – 6
Noes: None
Motion declared approved. (10/02/13 – 60)
Building & Grounds: Ms. Lange reported on Building & Grounds.
Mr. Pfisterer spoke with a local electrician about the possibility of installing electric hand
dryers in the library's bathrooms. He is going to research some options for us and get back
to us with an estimate for the work.
Mr. Pfisterer received a quote from the surveillance equipment company for the
installation of additional equipment in the first floor bathroom area. Discussion was held
on the quote.
We are still waiting to hear back from the locksmith regarding the lock on the conference
room door. Mr. Pfisterer will contact the locksmith to check on the progress of this and
report back in November.
Volunteers and staff from Lowes Home Improvement Center's were at the library on
Friday, September 27th to complete work on the brick walkway and to construct a gated
area for the garbage bin. Mr. Pfisterer requested the names of the volunteers on the
project so he can write a formal thank you letter and press release about their
contributions to the library.
J. Old Business
The Board will discuss and vote on the RCLS Preliminary Budget at the November Board
Meeting.
The Board discussed the Whistleblower Policy.
Ms. Lange moved to accept the Whistleblower Policy with the minor corrections. Mrs.
Crown seconded.
Ayes: Bell, Berkowitz, Crown, Kay, Lange, Ruckert – 6
Noes: None
Motion declared approved. (10/02/13 – 61)
Discussion was held on the Volunteer Recognition Criteria.
Ms. Kay announced that the Friends will be celebrating their 20th Anniversary and in
celebrating that they are giving the library computers and software.
K. New Business
Ms. Lange moved the following: Resolved, that the Thrall Public Library District of
Middletown & Wallkill Board of Trustees accept the following results from the October
1, 2013 Library Budget Election.
BUDGET VOTE (with absentee ballots) 133 YES 40 NO
TRUSTEE TOTALS: Tonia Crown 136
Richard C. Bell 138
WRITE-IN: Eliz. Lauritzen 1
Karl Lauritzen 1
Robert Tiess 1
Mary Klimes 1
Mr. Berkowitz seconded.
Ayes: Bell, Berkowitz, Crown, Kay, Lange, Ruckert – 6
Noes: None
Motion declared approved. (10/02/13 – 62)
L. Adjournment
Ms. Lange moved to adjourn the meeting at 8:42pm. Mr. Berkowitz seconded.
Ayes: Bell, Crown, Berkowitz, Kay, Lange, Ruckert – 6
Noes: None
Motion declared approved. (10/02/13 – 63)
Respectfully submitted,
Tonia Crown, Secretary
TABLE OF MOTIONS
(01/09/13 – 1) Accepted slate of officers
(01/09/13 – 2) Designated Middletown Times Herald Record as official newspaper
(01/09/13 – 3) Designated the Orange County Trust Company as official bank
(01/09/13 – 4) Designated Stifel-Nicholas as Investment Firm
(01/09/13 – 5) Appointed Robert Isseks as Library District's Attorney
(01/09/13 – 6) Adjournment
(01/09/13 – 7) Approval of 12/12/12 minutes
(01/09/13 – 8) Approved BUDGET AMENDMENT 1
(01/09/13 – 9) Executive session
(01/09/13 – 10) Adjournment
(02/13/13 – 11) Approval of 1/9/13 re-organizational minutes
(02/13/13 – 12) Approval of 1/9/13 minutes
(02/13/13 – 13) Approved BUDGET TRANSFER #4 (12/31/12)
(02/13/13 – 14) Approved monthly disbursement for December 2012
(02/13/13 – 15) Approved BUDGET AMENDMENT #6 (12/31/12)
(02/13/13 – 16) Approved BUDGET TRANSFER #1
(02/13/13 – 17) Approved BUDGET AMENDMENT #2
(02/13/13 – 18) Approved monthly disbursement for January 2013
(02/13/13 – 19) Approved Simplex Grinnell proposal
(02/13/13 – 20) Executive session
(02/13/13 – 21) Adjournment
(03/13/13 – 22) Approval of 2/13/13/minutes
(03/13/13 – 23) Approved BUDGET AMENDMENT #3
(03/13/13 – 24) Approved monthly disbursement for February 2013
(03/13/13 – 25) Adjournment
(04/10/13 – 26) Approval of 3/13/13 minutes
(04/10/13 – 27) Approved BUDGET TRANSFER #2
(04/10/13 – 28) Approved monthly disbursements for March 2013
(04/10/13 – 29) Accepted NYS Annual Report for 2012
(04/10/13 – 30) Approved timetable for October 2, 2013 election
(04/10/13 – 31) Adopted the District Policy on Tutoring
(04/10/13 – 32) Adjournment
(05/08/13 – 33) Approval of 4/10/13 minutes
(05/08/13 – 34) Approved adding budget line item for MTA payroll tax
(05/08/13 – 35) Approved BUDGET AMENDMENT #4
(05/08/13 – 36) Approved BUDGET TRANSFER #3
(05/08/13 – 37) Approved monthly disbursements for April 2013
(05/08/13 – 38) Adjournment
(06/12/13 – 39) Approval of 5/8/13 minutes
(06/12/13 – 40) Approved BUDGET AMENDMENT #5
(06/12/13 – 41) Approved monthly disbursements for May 2013
(06/12/13 – 42) Accepted Tri-State est. to repair one air-conditioning unit
(06/12/13 – 43) Adjournment
(07/31/13 – 44) Approval of 6/12/13 minutes
(07/31/13 – 45) Approved BUDGET AMENDMENT #6 & monthly disbursements for June 2013
(07/31/13 – 46) Approved BUDGET TRANSFER #5 (2012)
(07/31/13 – 47) Approved NYS Tax Override Amendment
(07/31/13 – 48) Accepted proposed 2014 preliminary budget
(07/31/13 – 49) Adjournment
(09/11/13 – 50) Opened Public Hearing
(09/11/13 – 51) Approval of 7/31/13 minutes
(09/11/13 – 52) Adopted Draft letter with revisions to Direct Access Committee
(09/11/13 – 53) Approved BUDGET AMENDMENT #7; monthly disbursements for July & August
(09/11/13 – 54) Closed Public Hearing
(09/11/13 – 55) Accepted 2012 audit
(09/11/13 – 56) Accepted Evacuation Plan
(09/11/13 – 57) Approved 2014 Budget
(09/11/13 – 58) Adjournment
(10/02/13 – 59) Approval of 9/11/13 minutes
(10/02/13 – 60) Approved monthly disbursements for September 2013
(10/02/13 – 61) Accepted Whistleblower Policy
(10/02/13 – 62) Accepted 2013 Election Results
(10/02/13 – 63) Adjournment