WINNEFOX LIBRARY SYSTEM
BOARD MEETING MINUTES
July 27, 2005
The regular meeting of the Winnefox
Library System Board of Trustees was called to order at 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday,
July 27, 2005, in the Meeting Room at the Oshkosh Public Library by President
Judy Malueg. Trustees present were: Lurton Blassingame, John Brennan, Debra
Clark, Yvonne Feavel, Peter Gratton, Judy Malueg, John Muentner, Jeff Ogle,
Mary Olson, James Reiland, Kay Roethel, Lewis Rosser, Joyce Schoepel, Paul
Wade, Merry Whipple, Tom Widener, and Tom Willadsen. Deanna Boone, Jennifer Corbin, Jo
Dell’Antonia, Bonita Dressen, Vern Hess, Jackie Jurkowski, and Scott Woldt were
absent. Also present were:
Public
comments: none.
Motion to approve the
minutes of the May 25, 2005 regular Winnefox Board Meeting. Motion: Blassingame; Second: Roethel;
Vote: Unanimous.
Merry Whipple arrived at
this time.
Motion to approve the
minutes of the July 7, 2005 OPL/WLS Executive Director Search & Screen
Meeting. Motion: Willadsen; Second:
Brennan; Vote: Unanimous.
Classifications
Motion to approve the May
2005 and June 2005 WLS Classification of Invoices Previously Paid. Motion: Blassingame; Second:
Rosser; Vote: Unanimous.
Motion to approve the May
2005 and June 2005 WALS Classification of Invoices Previously Paid. Motion: Roethel; Second: Brennan;
Vote: Unanimous.
Motion to approve the May
2005 and June 2005 WCTS Classification of Invoices Previously Paid. Motion: Schoepel; Second: Muentner;
Vote: Unanimous.
Linda Kutchenriter, City
Administrator from Omro addressed the board stating that at their city council
meeting of June 21, 2005, they voted to discontinue payments to Oshkosh Public
Library for non-reciprocal borrowing.
She stated that she felt is was discriminatory, questioned the legality
of the payments as there was never a signed agreement, and that access was
given to all Winnebago county libraries with none of the others being charged
this fee. She asked that the Winnefox
Board support their statement.
July 27, 2005 Page 2
Motion that Section 6 about non-reciprocal
borrowing payments be removed from the Winnebago County Agreement. Motion:
Motion to amend the original
motion to state that there be no charge for non-reciprocal payments between any
individual library whose residents live within the Winnefox Library System. Motion: Widener; Second:
motion may confuse this
issue.
Motion for a secondary
amendment that the Executive Director of Winnefox organize mediation to
negotiate the issue between Oshkosh Public Library and Omro and that the System
Board receive a report at their next meeting on the impact of Tom Widener’s
motion. Motion: Rosser; Second:
Blassingame
Tom Widener withdrew his
amendment. He stated that any
negotiation done by Director Nichols was a clear conflict of interest and that
someone other than the Director should be appointed to negotiate in his
place. It was noted that the secondary
amendment, having been moved and seconded now had the table and that Tom
Widener’s motion could not be withdrawn at that time.
Being that Lewis Rosser’s
motion addressed apparent different topics, Tom Widener moved to split the
issue. This motion was seconded by Lewis
Rosser and subsequently carried by a vote of 10-6-1. Aye: Whipple, Blassingame, Muentner,
Ogle, Rosser,
Vote on split motion that the
Executive Director of Winnefox organize mediation to negotiate the issue
between Oshkosh Public Library and the city of
The vote on the split motion
that the System Board receive a report at their next meeting on the impact of
Tom Widener’s motion carried on a vote of 8-7 with 1 abstention.
Tom Widener withdrew his
amendment to the original motion at this time stating that he can bring it up
again at the next meeting.
Motion to table this
issue. Motion: Reiland; Second: Rosser; Vote: A motion to table is non-debatable, motion
carried by a vote of 14-2
Tom Widener requested that an
outside, independent audit of the System be conducted so that the Board
understands how funds are being spent by program. He explained that he especially would like to
see how the funds are intertwined between Winnefox and
July 27, 2005 Page3
Public Library and how they
were determined and a clarification of what these funds are for. This option was discussed but no action
taken.
Director Nichols clarified
the action taken at the last meeting with regard to a Joint Directorship. He explained that the director of Oshkosh
Public Library also serves, by contract, as the director of the Winnefox
Library System.
Merry Whipple asked that the
Board take a more effective role in having a joint committee used to evaluate
the Oshkosh/Winnefox director.
Paul Wade and Yvonne Feavel
left the meeting at this time.
Hiring Freeze
The Board discussed the
possibility of a hiring freeze. No
action was taken.
Joyce Schoepel left the
meeting at this time.
Frequency of Board Meetings
Merry Whipple requested that
the Board meet more frequently to handle the multitude of issues being brought
before the board. After discussion, it
was decided that the regular schedule will be adhered to and a special meeting
will be called if necessary. Merry
Whipple moved that there be a Special Meeting of the Winnefox Library System
Board held every other month until such a time there is a new director or that
they are no longer necessary. This
motion died for a lack of a second.
Search & Screen
Committee Charge
Motion to approve the
Committee charge as contained in the minutes of that meeting. Motion: Rosser; Second:
Reiland; Vote: Unanimous
Job Descriptions
Motion to approve the job
descriptions as contained in Exhibit D. Motion:
Whipple; Second: Willadsen; Vote: Unanimous
Cost Reimbursement
For Participation Of Member Library Directors In Interview Process
Motion to approve
reimbursement of member library directors for participation in interview
process. Motion: Rosser; Second:
Reiland; Vote: Unanimous
The Winnefox Audit was
discussed by the Board. Judy Malueg
stated that she was very troubled by the fact that the auditor cannot sign off
on the audit because of GASB 34 and that she was led to believe it is not such
a big deal. She noted that OWLS complied
over 2 years ago and she stated her desire that this be corrected rather than
the System remain in non-compliance.
July 27, 2005 Page 4
Motion that the System do
whatever is necessary to comply with GASB 34.
Motion: Reiland; Second: Widener.
The chair declared that this motion was out of order.
Motion to accept the
Winnefox System Audit for 2004. Motion:
Blassingame; Second: Brennan; Vote: Unanimous
Judy Malueg requested that
the topic of how to treat the audit deficiencies be placed on the next agenda.
WCTS Grant Program
Motion to approve the
proposed grant program as described in Exhibit G. Motion: Whipple; Second:
Rosser; Vote: Unanimous
WALS Annual
Associates Automation Fees for 2006
Motion to approve the
recommendation for WALS Associates fees as proposed in Exhibit H. Motion: Reiland; Second:
Rosser; Vote: Unanimous
WPLC Overdrive
Digital Audio Book Demonstration – Legal Opinion
Motion to not move ahead
until changes are made. Motion:
Widener; Second: Rosser; Vote: Motion failed 6-8.
Motion to authorize
Winnefox staff to proceed with implementation of a demonstration of
downloadable audio books through the WPLC consortium. Motion: Whipple; Second: Willadsen;
Vote: Motion passed 7-6
Legislative Issues
Motion to authorize the drafting
of letters opposing the elimination of the Maintenance of Effort requirement
and a letter opposing the SB258 and submitting them to appropriate legislators. Motion: Reiland; Second: Rosser;
Vote: Unanimous.
Resolution Of
Appreciation – Deanna Boone
Motion to approve the
Resolution of Appreciation for Deanna Boone as proposed in Exhibit L. Motion: Whipple; Second:
Willadsen; Vote: Unanimous.
Motion to adjourn at 6:35
pm. Motion: Rosser; Second:
Blassingame; Vote: Unanimous.
Respectfully
submitted,
John
Brennan
Secretary
js/mc