Cleveland Heights – University Heights Public Library Board of Trustees meeting highlights 10-18-2021

OCTOBER 18, 2021

 

  • Family Connections presentation
  • Financial and investment report
  • Director’s report
  • Board resolutions
  • Public service report

 

Present were President Dana Fluellen, Vice President Gabe Crenshaw, Patti Carlyle, Tyler McTeague and Vikas Turakhia. Max Gerboc and Annette Iwamoto were absent.

Family Connections presentation

Joanne Federman and Charniece Holmes gave a presentation to the board about the Family Connections, a program to ensure kindergarten students are on track for reading at the end of the school year. During the 2019-2020 school year Family Connections served 77 families, conducted 377 virtual home visits, and gave families 500 books. For 65 percent of families served, the kindergarten child finished the school year reading on track

Financial and investment report

Total cash balance across the operating accounts, Bauer Fund accounts, and investment accounts was $22,835,808.99.

Board resolutions

The following items were among those adopted at this meeting:

The board approved the 2022 salary table, implementing salary increases and base wage adjustments for employees effective Nov. 14, 2021. These are substantial changes to pay ranges and the biggest change in salary in the past 30 years.

The board funded the Family School Connection program, allocating $40,000 annually for 2021, 2022, and 2023.

A diversity, equity, and inclusion plan was appended to the Heights Library Strategic Plan

The board approved advertising for bids for demolition of a building at 2780 Kirkwood Road to allow for further expansion of the Noble Library addition, parking lot, and green space.

Public service hours were changed for Election Day (Nov. 2, 2021). The University Heights branch and public services offered at the Lee Road branch will be closed. Coventry and Noble branches as well as the HKIC will remain open to the public.

At the Sept. 20 meeting, the board changed meeting room fees, charging for one room when two rooms are booked to maintain social distancing; approved revised eviction timelines for adults and youth in the services and administration policy; and approved a materials evaluation and selection policy, which is posted on the library’s website

Director’s report

The local history room at the Lee Road branch will be open by the end of October.

The library seeks nominations for trustees for seven-year terms.

Staff awards included five members, who received gold stars for exemplary contributions in the past year: Tim Pasbrig, Keven Echols, Steve Eigsti, Leory Hamby and Leslie Mallon. John Piche was the Pat Carterette Award winner, Catherine Bransky, the Detlef Fabian Award winner and Isabelle Rew, the Gertrude Kleiner Award winner. The Rising Star award winner was Kate Atherton

Public service report

The following items were among those shared. Heights Libraries is now the library host for The Legal Aid Society of Cleveland’s Facebook live series which features legal and “know your rights” information. New library card sign-ups remain strong with 2,015 new cards issued across the four branches. Circulation and visitor numbers are slowly moving back up. 

The next regular meeting will be Monday, Nov. 15, 2021, 6:30 p.m. at the University Heights library.

LWV Observer: Elizabeth M. Tracy. 

Information about the board, board meeting minutes and audio recordings of board meetings can be found at https://heightslibrary.org/locations/heights-libraries-board/

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Volume 14, Issue 12, Posted 9:19 AM, 11.23.2021