Minutes – Board of Directors June 2024

Attendance:

Attending:

• Michael Jefferis, Vice Chairman
• J.P. Gellermann, Secretary & Treasurer
• Michael Delk
• Veronica Ettel
• Karen LaCorte-Nies
• Nancy McKibben
• Angela Pietras
• Cheryl Morales, Executive Director
• Martha Frenchek, Recording Secretary
• Lisa Kothe, LDAC Liaison

Not Present:

• Karen Roth, Chairman
• Maggie Paluch

1. Call to Order: Michael Jefferis, Chairperson called the Board Meeting to order at 3:30 pm.
2. Roll Call: Martha Frenchek conducted Roll Call.
   Present: Michael Jefferis, J.P. Gellermann, Michael Delk, Veronica Ettel, Karen LaCorte-Nies, Nancy McKibben, Angela Pietras, Cheryl Morales, Martha Frenchek. A quorum was represented.
   Absent: Karen Roth, Maggie Paluch
   Guests: Sergio Gonzalez & Jacob Laurendeau from Barton, Gonzalez & Myers, CPA’s, Phyllis Gorshe, Director of Dunedin Public Library
3. Minutes from April 24, 2024, Board Meeting were accepted as presented. (Gellermann/Delk).
4. Monthly Financial Committee Report:
   1. Level Four Management Report: April/May 2024
   2. PDR Account Financial Statement: April/May 2024 The Finance Committee appointed Karen LaCorte-Nies as Chair. LaCorte-Nies reported that the Finances are in great shape and noted working with Morales to explore banking services with EverBank. Meetings with PPLC’s Level Four advisor are also being held. Morales commented the committee edited the Investment Policy for presentation to the Board at the August Meeting.
5. Correspondence: Jefferis commented two correspondences were received. One was from PPLC Board Chair Karen Roth and another from Pinellas County, both regarding Roth’s resignation and corresponding vacancy on the PPLC Board. The BOCC deadline to apply is July 19, 2024.
6. Executive Director’s Report – Cheryl Morales
   1. Building/Admin.
      1. Water intrusion in the meeting room and records room due to water heater failure
      2. Member Library ACFR gathering-ongoing
      3. Collaborating with LDAC committee to review Public Service Policies
      4. Collaborating with Board Finance Committee to edit the Investment Policy
   2. Countywide Services / Member Libraries
      1. DLC and TBL reports – included in the agenda packet.
      2. Pinellas Memory Project – mid-July completion anticipated.
      3. Executive Director Activities-since May Board Meeting:
         1. 4.26 TBLC Leadership Seminar
         2. 5.6-10 Out of Office
         3. 5.16 BOCC Budget Presentation
         4. 5.26 Reading with the Rays launch at Tropicana
         5. 6.1 Launched DFAC Children’s Art Museum partnership
         6. 6.11 SPIFFS Planning Mtg.
         7. 6.20 TBLC Executive Director Mtg.
         8. 6.20 Accepted, on behalf of PPLC, the LCIF Melvin Jones Fellowship Award
         9. 6.21 Karen LaCorte-Nies Mtg.
7. Old Business:
   1. ED Review Process Discussed in Executive Session
   2. Policy Review-Personnel Section The edited policy was unanimously approved (Delk/LaCorte-Nies).
8. New Business:
   1. Reviewed Audited Financial Statements-Barton, Gonzalez & Myers, CPA’s Sergio Gonzalez and Jacob Laurendeau Presented the FY’ 23 Audited Financial Statements.
      1. Reviewed annual audit standards required to communicate with the Board Management responsibility for accounting policy.
      2. Successful Audit this year with no issues.
      3. The Board unanimously approved the Audit Report (Ettel/LaCorte-Nies).
   2. Member Library Spotlight – Dunedin Public Library Phyllis Gorshe, the Director of Dunedin Public Library, highlighted the library’s services:
      1. Oldest Library in Pinellas County (Founded in 1895)
      2. Passport Acceptance Office
      3. Seed Library (since 2013)
      4. Birding Backpacks
      5. Book Club Bags
   3. Officer Appointments: Chairperson-Michael Jefferis (Gellermann/Ettel) Vice Chairperson-Karen LaCorte-Nies (Pietras/Gellermann) Secretary & Treasurer-J.P. Gellermann (renewed) The Slate of Officers for FY’25 was unanimously approved.
9. LDAC Report -Lisa Kothe
   1. Minutes ofLDAC Meetings April 8 and June 10, 2024.
   2. Approved new Special Interest Group (Friends of the Library SIG).
   3. Discussion about funding level for the countywide Overdrive account.
   4. Online library card registration will be available starting July 8th.
   5. Summer Reading going strong for all Libraries.
10. Announcements/Miscellaneous: Michael Delk announced his retirement effective July 19, 2024.
11. Public Comments: None
12. Adjournment: Jefferis adjourned the meeting at 4:55 pm.

The next regular Board meeting: Wednesday, August 28, 2024, at PPLC @3:30 pm.
(No July meeting)
Submitted by Martha Frenchek, Office Assistant