September 16, 2024
The Medina County District Library Board of Trustees met in regular session on Monday, September 16, 2024, at Medina Library. With a quorum present, President Brian Harr called the meeting to order at 6:00 p.m.
Roll call: The following members were present: Brian Harr, Caleb Parker, William Koran, Mark Krosse, Ryan Carlson, Ann Marie Flannery, and Sarah Vachon.
Library staff members in attendance: Julianne Bedel, Executive Director; Allison Gaebelein, Fiscal Officer; Suzie Muniak, Deputy Director; Lauren Kuntzman, Family History and Learning Center Manager; and Jill McGarr, Administrative Assistant, acting as recording secretary.
Approval of the Agenda: Mr. Parker motioned, and Mr. Koran seconded the motion to approve the agenda. Motion carried.
Recognition of Guest and Comments from the Public: Mr. Harr welcomed all in attendance. There were no comments from the public.
Disposition of Meeting Minutes: Ms. Flannery motioned, and Ms. Vachon seconded the motion to approve the June 17, 2024, regular meeting minutes. Motion carried.
Mr. Krosse motioned, and Mr. Parker seconded the motion to approve the July 15, 2024, regular meeting minutes. Motion carried.
Mr. Koran motioned, and Ms. Flannery seconded the motion to approve the September 4, 2024, special meeting minutes. Motion carried.
Approval of Financial Report: Mr. Krosse motioned, and Ms. Vachon seconded the motion to approve the July and August 2024 financial reports. Motion carried.
Fiscal Officer Allison Gaebelein highlighted that August 2024 receipts totaled $670,822.44 and expenses totaled $1,075,955.22. There was an unexpended cash balance of $18,610,957.25, minus outstanding encumbrances of $3,051,643.70, leaving an ending unencumbered balance in all funds of $15,559,313.55.
General Fund revenues are down 0.6% over prior year-to-date and General Fund expenses are up 6.3% compared to the same year-to-date period.
August 2024 investments earned $62,263.66. Year-to-date interest totals $500,672.75 at an
average weighted interest rate of 4.642%.
August 2024 PLF came in at $340,325.32 which is $807.48 higher than last year and
$5,380.32 higher than budgeted. Year-to-date PLF is still down 6.87% over last year and
2.31% under budget. At the end of July, the Ohio Department of Taxation issued their initial
certification for the 2025 PLF. MCDL’s initial estimated distribution is $4,599,487.00. This is 0.5% higher than 2024 initial certification. This is positive news, especially since the PLF has mildly underperformed for most of 2024 so far. The State is not forecasting any major
fluctuations in revenue
The Office of Budget Management is adjusting revenue projections for Fiscal Year 2025. Libraries will have to wait and see what happens. The estimate is due in December 2024. Mr. Carlson and Mr. Krosse had questions about PLF issues and how the unencumbered balance will decrease due to major repairs in the upcoming year. Mr. Parker noted that the PLF was at its highest in 2024 in August. There was a discussion regarding investment interest. Ms. Gaebelein discussed her laddering technique to find good, fixed five-year interest rates moving forward.
Executive Director’s Report: Julianne Bedel highlighted that circulation for August 2024 was down 1% over August 2023. Of that total, e-media circulation was up 12%. The door count was down 1%. Overall computer usage was down 13%, and Wi-Fi use was down 18%. The number of programs offered was up 5% and the number of patrons attending those programs was up 4%. The number of new cards issued was down 5% and the number of passports issued held steady from this time last year.
Brunswick Manager Connie Sureck has been elected to Ohio Library Council’s Management Division action council. Deputy Fiscal Officer Jennifer O’Neill has completed her training and is now a Notary. We’ve begun the process of our employee insurance renewals for calendar year 2025 and should be receiving the initial information from our broker later this week. This is the first step in the renewal process that will end with us bringing a recommendation to the Board’s Personnel Committee in November.
August brought the end of the Summer Reading Game for children and teens. This year 6,604 children participated in the game across the system. While this was about 5% fewer than last year, Lodi, Buckeye and Seville were able to increase the number of children playing the game at their branches. Teen participation across all locations skyrocketed, with a 24% increase. 1,423 teens logged an amazing 1,001,196 minutes of reading, a 33% increase over last year. Hats off to the students of all ages for an amazing summer of reading. Ms. Bedel thanked the staff who diligently worked to pull off another wonderful Summer Reading Game and to all the parents and caregivers who encouraged their youth to fight the summer slide. She deeply appreciates the financial support from the Friends of the Library and community sponsors Stuart & Pat Neal, Armstrong Cable, and the Medina City Teachers Association.
Communications: None
Personnel Report: Mr. Carlson motioned, and Mr. Parker seconded the motion to approve the July and August 2024 Personnel Reports. Motion carried.
Human Resources highlights from July 2024 include welcoming seven new employees and two employees in August. Four staff members left employment in July and two in August. There were four leaves of absence in July and six in August.
The Labor Managment Committee sent the annual health and safety survey to staff and is reviewing the feedback for any action items that need consideration. In October, hands-on CPR and fire extinguisher training will be offered to staff.
Celebrating five-year milestone anniversaries in July were Mandi Grumbling (Customer Service Clerk in Brunswick) and Jeremy Hilton (Delivery Driver). Amy Noel Lucas (Outreach Associate Flex) celebrated her five-year milestone in August, while Brunswick Teen Librarian Mel Vavra and Medina Page Lynne Homko reached ten years of service. Congratulations and many thanks to all!
Board Committee Reports:
Policy and By-laws Committee: No Meeting
Finance Committee: No Meeting
Personnel Committee: No Meeting
Buildings Committee: No Meeting.
Unfinished Business: None
New Business:
FHLC Presentation: Family History and Learning Center Manager Lauren Kuntzman presented on the history of digitization at MCDL and its future. In 2023, 100,000 digital files were accessed by patrons through MCDL. We are currently working on digitizing John Buchannan’s aerial photographs. We will collaborate with local historical societies and with patrons through social media to help identify locations. We are investigating potential uses of AI and are exploring Transkribus software to automatically digitize and interpret handwriting on historical documents
Resolution 24 – 15: Library Closings (2025): Mr. Koran motioned, and Mr. Krosse seconded the motion to approve Policy BRD-05 Library Closings (2025) as presented effective January 1, 2025. Resolution carried.
Donations: Mr. Parker motioned, and Ms. Flannery seconded the motion to approve the following donations for July and August. Motion carried.
Mary Platzer: $100 in memory of Raelene Jodway
Maureen Wickey and book club: $200 to fund the heat press in the Makerspace
Michael A. Duniec: copy of his book Crypto & Bitcoin for Brunswick local author collection
Glenn Somodi: 6 copies of his book Olly and the Spores of Sapphire Creek for the collection
Evangelical Lutheran Cemetery: $75 in memory of Raelene Jodway
5 copies of A Medina Family Saga 1830-2020 to add to circulating collection of local history room
Molly Webster: One copy of Little Black Hole for the collection
Mark Krosse: 100 books prioritizing female authors/authors of color from the Library of America
Michael Duniec: 6 copies of his book Crypto and Bitcoin for each branch of MCDL
Sue Becks: Granite by Susan Butcher and David Monson for Buckeye Children’s Department
Terry Hart: Veterans Buried in Medina County, Volume 1 for FHLC
Harold and Nanette Waite: $75 in memory of Raelene Jodway
Diane Dlugoz: $20 for Makerspace materials and operations
Mayflower Society of Ohio: 1 copy of the Silver Book Mayflower V. 19 Part 2
Joseph S. Kisvardai: $1,000 for the Highland Branch of MCDL
Mr. Koran asked Mr. Krosse to elaborate on his donation of 100 books. Mr. Krosse explained that The Library of America is a non-profit working to ensure that women and minority authors stay in publications, so he donated 100 titles selected by staff from LOA. The donations were accepted with gratitude.
Trustees Comments:
Mr. Carlson thanked Ms. Kuntzman for her presentation. He thanked Mr. Krosse for his donation of books from The Library of America.
Ms. Flannery thanked Ms. Kuntzman for her informative presentation. She wondered if contacting assisted living facilities to share the aerial photos might help identify some of the locations. She also offered congratulations to Ms. Sureck on her election to OLC action council.
Mr. Koran congratulated Ms. Sureck on her election to OLC action council and thanked Ms. Kuntzman for her fabulous work. He also noted that he will be assisting teaching a new citizenship class with Jenna Garrity and Brunswick Library.
Mr. Parker thanked Ms. Kuntzman for her presentation. As a Civil War buff, he looks forward to the historical letters that will soon be archived at FHLC. He thanks the Cleveland Clinic Foundation for the donation of the lactation pod and Tina Sabol for networking to help garner the donation.
Ms. Vachon thanked Ms. Kuntzman for her presentation and looks forward to seeing the archive develop.
Mr. Harr echoed all of the other trustees' comments and offered thanks to the guests who attended the meeting.
Adjournment: There being no further business, Mr. Krosse motioned, and Mr. Carlson seconded the motion to adjourn the meeting at 6:48 p.m. Motion Carried.
_______________________________ __________________________________
Brian Harr, President William Koran, Secretary
NEXT BOARD MEETING
Monday, October 21, 2024
6:00 p.m.
Lodi Library