Text Description automatically generated Minutes of Meeting of the Board of Trustees Highland Public Library 14 Elting Place; Highland, NY 12528 Date: February 22, 2024 Attending: Elaine Rivera, President; Melissa Burdash, 1st Vice President; Patrick Mason; Finance Officer; Laura Finch, Secretary; Mark McPeck, Trustee; Julie Dempsey, Library Director Absent: Jacqueline Burke, 2nd Vice President, Milena Barrett, Trustee; The meeting was called to order at 5:33 p.m. The members recited the Pledge of Allegiance. Melissa moved to accept the minutes of the January 25, 2024 meeting. Patrick seconded. All were in favor. Financial Report: Melissa moved as follows: Be it resolved to approve the warrants attached for operating expenses for the month of January 2024 and February, 2024. Mark seconded. All were in favor. Melissa moved as follows: Be it resolved to accept the January 2024 financial report as prepared by Rose Woodworth, Accountant. Patrick seconded. All were in favor. Agenda Items: Director’s Report: Staff Update: Personnel Action Document Recommended by: Library Director, Julie Dempsey The Board of Trustees is the appointing authority for all personnel appointments, whether as a staff hire or as a contract employee. Resignations must also be received and acted upon by the Board of Trustees upon the recommendation of the Library Director. Pending Personnel Actions: Approve the termination of Nancy D’Elia ,MTHT Clerk position effective Feb 5, 2024. Employee was in probationary period. She was given 1 week’s notice following our policy and Ulster County Civil Service policy. If further discussion is needed we will need to go into Executive Session. Action Requested: Moved That the Board of Trustees of the Highland Public Library approve the personnel actions listed above. Motion: Moved: Patrick Seconded: Melissa In Favor: All Against: None Abstaining: None New Hire: Julie has interviewed a new candidate for the clerk position. Resume and cover letter have been uploaded. The new candidate will start March 1st. Personnel Action Document Recommended by: Library Director, Julie Dempsey The Board of Trustees is the appointing authority for all personnel appointments, whether as a staff hire or as a contract employee. Resignations must also be received and acted upon by the Board of Trustees upon the recommendation of the Library Director. Pending Personnel Actions: Approve the appointment of Alexandra Williams to MTHT Library Clerk position at a rate of $ 19.00 per hour, up to 26 hours per week starting March 1, 2024 .Action Requested: Moved That the Board of Trustees of the Highland Public Library approve the personnel actions listed above. Motion: Moved: Mark Seconded: Patrick In Favor: All Against: None Abstaining: None Trustee Positions: Petitions are due March 25, 2024 (30 days prior to the election.) Julie gave information on an early voting update through the state/county/local guidelines. (Voters may request to vote early in all or certain elections.) Grant/ Arts Mid-Hudson: Library has put in for a $5k grant to put toward three or more cultural Vacation: Julie will be on vacation in North Carolina starting on Sunday. She will be reachable via e-mail. Old Business: Proposed Staff Salaries 2024-2025: see attached budget New Business: Acceptance of Annual Report: Program offering and attendance went up, as did visits to the library. Passive programming (including drop-in crafts) counts as ‘attendance.’ Motion to accept the annual report as proposed at the meeting by Melissa. Seconded by Mark. All were in favor. Tax Cap Override: Tax Cap Override Resolution Whereas, the adoption of this 2024-25 budget for the Highland Public Library 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 Highland Public Library voted and approved to exceed the tax levy limit for 2024-25 by at least the sixty percent of the board of trustees as required by state law on February 22, 2024, Board of Trustees meeting date. Motion by Patrick to approve. Seconded by Mark. Roll Call Elaine Rivera: Yes Melissa Burdash: Yes Jacqui Burke: absent Patrick Mason: Yes Laura Finch: Yes Milena Barrett: absent Mark McPeck: Yes Proposed Budget 2024-2025: RESOLUTION SCHEDULING THE LIBRARY OPERATING BUDGET VOTE AND LEVY AMOUNT At the regularly scheduled Board meeting, on February 22, 2024 the following resolution was made by:_Patrick; Seconded by Melissa BE IT RESOLVED: that a SPECIAL MEETING of the inhabitants of the HIGHLAND CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT, Highland, New York, qualified to vote at school meetings in said DISTRICT, will be held at Highland Public Library, Highland, New York at 14 Elting Place in said DISTRICT on Tuesday, April 23, 2024, at 5:30 PM for the transaction of such business as is authorized by Education Law. RESOLVED that a copy of the amount of money which will be required for the ensuing year for public library purposes exclusive of public money and private grants may be obtained by any qualified voter of the DISTRICT during the fourteen days immediately preceding the SPECIAL MEETING of Tuesday, April 23, 2024, except Sundays and holidays at Highland Public Library, 14 Elting Place, Highland, New York. RESOLVED that the vote upon the authorization of the necessary financial sum of ______________ to meet the estimated expenditures of HIGHLAND PUBLIC LIBRARY therefore shall be held on Wednesday, April 24, 2024, between the hours of 10:00 AM and 7:00 PM at the Highland Public Library, 14 Elting Place, Highland, New York. RESOLVED that the election of THREE (3) MEMBERS OF THE LIBRARY BOARD OF TRUSTEES, for THREE (3) five (5) year terms to expire on June 30, 2029 will be held at the same time and place as the VOTE, namely Wednesday April 24, 2024, Highland Public Library, 14 Elting Place, Highland, New York between the hours of 10:00 AM and 7:00 PM. AND NOTICE IS ALSO GIVEN that the petitions nominating candidates for the office of MEMBER of the LIBRARY BOARD OF TRUSTEES must be filed with the Election Clerk not later than March 25, 2024, must be signed by at least twenty-five (25) qualified voters of the District and must state the name and residence of the candidate. Copies of the petition may be obtained at Highland Public Library, 14 Elting Place, Highland, New York. RESOLVED that the qualified voters of the District who have not voted in any annual or special elections within the past four years, can register at Highland Public Library, 14 Elting Place, Highland, New York, during regular library hours. RESOLVED that applications for absentee ballots shall be available during regular opening hours, Monday thru Saturday. The last day to receive applications for absentee ballots will be April 10, 2024 if the ballot is to be mailed to the voter, or by April 23, 2024 if the ballot is to be personally obtained by the voter at HIGHLAND PUBLIC LIBRARY. A list of all persons whom absentee ballots have been issued to date will be available in the HIGHLAND PUBLIC LIBRARY on each of the five days prior to the day of election except Saturdays and Sundays and such list shall also be posted at the voting places during the election. RESOLVED¨†that the Board shall designate a resident taxpayer of the Highland Central School District as chairman of the Vote and shall designate at least two but not more than four resident taxpayers to act as election inspectors for the Vote, provided that no trustee shall serve as such chairman or election inspector, and it is further RESOLVED, that the Library Director is hereby authorized and directed to publish a notice of such Vote in two newspapers of general circulation within the School District, four (4) times within the seven (7) weeks next preceding such the Vote, the first publication to be at least forty-five (45) days prior to the date of the Vote. This question of the adoption of the foregoing resolution was duly put to a vote on roll call, which resulted as follows: Roll Call Elaine Rivera: Yes Melissa Burdash: Yes Jacqui Burke: absent Patrick Mason: Yes Laura Finch: Yes Milena Barrett: absent Mark McPeck: Yes Appointment of Election Workers: Chair: Julie Kelsall-Dempsey Election Clerk: Lisa Gill Election Inspectors: Angela Grieco and Susan Bacchi ($16/hr) Motion by Mark. Seconded by Patrick. All were in favor. Committees: Facilities: David is making repairs to the baseboard/wall in the server area. Finance: none Personnel: none Trustees Comments: none Friends Liaison: Leslie presented the Library with a $3500 contribution to the Library for the current fiscal year. The Friends have a raffle fundraiser planned for March – June. Julie extended her thanks to the Friends for their contribution. Other: Public Comment: Mark moved to adjourn. Patrick seconded. The meeting adjourned at 5:53 p.m. Our next meeting will be March 28, 2024 at 5:30pm. Respectfully Submitted, Laura Finch, Secretary