HEARTLAND LIBRARY COOPERATIVE BOARD MEETING

October 24, 1996

Heartland Library Cooperative (HLC) governing board members present: Chairman Jeri Canale, Highlands Co.; Vice-Chairman Bonnie Dyga, Okeechobee Co.; Barbara E. Smith, DeSoto Co.; Perry Newport, Highlands Co.; Marilyn Buxton, Okeechobee Co.; Jeanne Renton, Highlands Co.; Gloria Davis, Hardee Co.

Board members absent: Paul Erickson, DeSoto Co.; Water Olliff, Jr., Hardee Co.; Sharon Turner, DeSoto Co.; Diana Youmans, Clois Harvey, Okeechobee Co.

Other Attendees: Mary Myers, HLC Coordinator; Merry Cresswell, L.P. Librarian; Charlie Parker, State Library; Sue Rood, Highlands Co.; Elizabeth Kenney, DeSoto Librarian; Don Obrakta, Hardee Librarian; Ed Kilroy, Okeechobee Librarian; Mike Eastman, Highlands Co. Clerk of Court, Accounting & Finance; Jerome Kaszubowski, Highlands Co. Clerk of Court, Automated Services; Carolyn Hesselink, HLC Administrative Secretary.

Chairman Jeri Canale called the meeting to order at 10:05 a.m. Public notice was read. There were no additions to the agenda. Agenda was approved as presented. Minutes of the previous meeting were approved.

New Member Marilyn Buxton of Okeechobee County was introduced to the board. She is a Florida native and has resided in Okeechobee County for some twenty years.

1. Interlocal Agreement - The Agreement is a loan from Highlands Co. Bd. Of Co. Commissioners to the Cooperative of #30,000, to be paid back with a 5 ½% interest when the money from the State Library is received by the Cooperative the spring of 1997. It was approved by the Highlands Co. BCC on October 1, 1996. The money will pay for salaries, installation of phone lines, and whatever else is necessary to purchase. Bonnie Duga asked if the interest on this loan was part of the budget. Mary Myers said it had been added to the budget. Perry Newport moved to accept the Interlocal Agreement and also to authorize the Promissory Note. Bonnie Dyga seconded, and the motion carried.

2. Bank Account - HCBCC Finance Director Mike Eastman informed the board that all funds would be deposited in Suntrust Bank. Signatures on cooperative checks would include the cooperative chairman, Jeri Canale, and the clerk of courts, L.E. "Luke" Brooker. This was agreed to by board consensus.

3. Guidelines - Bonnie Dyga would like every board member to have a copy of the rules and procedures for purchasing, administrative politics, guidelines for voting eligibility, hiring guidelines, etc. to enable the board members to understand their role.

4. Administrative Cost using Clerk of Court - Chairman Canale passed around a copy of information gathered on the various costs of services by Highlands Co. departments. Mike Eastman said the Finance Dept. will keep track of the time they spend and bill as they would a client, such as the Supervisor of Elections. The board doesn't know exactly what it will cost for the year, but Mr. Eastman said he was comfortable with the budgeted amount of $7,725 (part of the Other Charges/Obligations line item of $10,225). He stated this job was not a money maker, and there would be a monthly accounting. Jerome Kaszubowski noted that the payroll checks his department would run would be at no extra cost. Accounts payable will be every 2 weeks or every month, depending on what was needed. Doing runs, etc. could cost $100-$150 a month. Mary Myers stated that county attorney Ross Macbeth said the Interlocal Agreement for the Cooperative appoints Highlands Co. as the host county, so all of the county administrative procedures needed could be used. Charlie Parker stated that employees of the entity (the coop) are employees of Highlands County. The Cooperative doesn't have any employees, per se. Coordinator Myers noted that was have thereby avoided creating any more layers of bureaucracy by having Highlands Co. do this for us. Mr. Eastman said, regarding purchasing, that the cooperative would not be using the Highlands Co. Purchasing Dept., but would do as the Clerk of Court does, using vouchers. This would allow plenty of checks and balances, with line item control. Mrs. Myers listed the requirements for purchasing: No petty cash will be used, $25.01-$3,000 requires a verbal quote, $3,001-$5,000 requires a written quote, $5,001-$10,000 requires an advertised quote. Coordinator Myers would authorize these purchases. Over $10,000 requires sealed bids. The governing board would award these bids. It was the consensus of the board that a monthly financial report from the Finance Dept. is desired. This would be fleshed out by an activity report by Cooperative Coordinator Myers.

5. Unanticipated Income from State Aid - Coordinator Myers announced that our cooperative budget would receive $15,840 more than anticipated, boosting our total income to $422,132, Concerning the interest payment on the $30,000 loan, Mr. Eastman estimated it at less than #350.00. It has been budgeted. Bonnie Dyga recommended we put the $15.840 in the contingency fund. Mary Myers said this would bring it up $30.540. This money can't be spent without board approval.

6. System Set-up: Host County Facilities Plus Outside Vendors? - Coordinator Mary Myers suggested that there are possibilities of cost savings to the cooperative if we use Highlands County Automated Services for at least some of our needs. A combination of ideas such as using in-house telecommunications, then bidding for our PCs, might be looked at. The tentative date for all the libraries to be in the on-line catalog is August, 1997. Jerome Kaszubowski, head of Highlands Co. Automated Services, said he would be available as a consultant for this.

7. Network Services Manager - Interview will take place Thursday, October 31, at the Lake Placid Library. Three people are currently slated for an interview: Robert Carlson, Marcellus Mason, and Michael Pate. They were picked from a field of some 9 applicants. Salary is firm at $28,000. Mr. Kaszubowski volunteered to help interview the candidates. His help was gratefully accepted. Also conducting the interviews will be all four library directors. The board felt they would like to meet the candidate during the November board meeting.

8. Cooperative Courier - Mary Myers recommended the board ire the current volunteer HCLS courier, Jack Arnold. He has done an outstanding job for the past year and one-half, has had the Defensive Driving course, a security check done, and a driving record check was completed when he began to drive the county car for the system. We have a written authorization from County Administrator Carl Cool to allow the county car to be used out of the county for courier purposes until a cooperative vehicle can be purchased. Perry Newport moved we hire Jack Arnold as cooperative courier, seconded by Gloria Davis. Effective date of hire is Wednesday, Oct. 30. The check for the promissory note will be issued the 1st of November. The motion carried.

9. Next Board Meeting - Changed to November 13, Wednesday, 10:00 a.m. at Lake Placid Memorial Library.

10. Circulation Policies - These will be reviewed by all library staffs and brought to the governing board on the 13th. 

Meeting was adjourned at 11:20 a.m.

Respectfully submitted,

Carolyn L. Hesselink

Administrative Secretary