BOARD OF TRUSTEES
BOARD MANUAL
ARTICLE I - DUTIES OF THE BOARD
A. The
Board is responsible for establishing policies and
plans for the System, for its operation,
and for general
oversight
of the staff.
B. The
Board approves the annual budget, the payment of all
bills, and the incurring of debt for
developmental
purposes.
C. The
Board is responsible for the staffing of the System
at
a wage scale commensurate with that of the community
and
other Public Libraries in the state and to the degree
that
available funds permit.
D. The Board shall make certain that new
Board members are
properly
informed with respect to the various financial
matters
of the System such as sources of income,
operational costs, debts and mortgages, insurance,
budget,
salaries
and endowment.
E. The
Board shall manage its affairs so as to take maximum
advantage
of those resources and services which may
be made available by the federal, state and local
governments,
by
foundations or by any other source.
F. In
its various deliberations the long-range development of
the
System shall be an important factor.
G. The
Board shall endeavor to secure funding to meet
approved budget expenses by initiating and implementing
various fund raising efforts.
H. The
Board shall conduct its affairs in accordance with the provisions of the
Constitution and By-laws of the System
and Robert's Rules of Order.
ARTICLE II - DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF OFFICERS
A. The
President shall:
1. Preside
at General Membership and Board Meetings.
2. Administer
in accordance with the provisions of the
Constitution
and By-Laws of the System and Robert's
Rules
of Order.
3. Appoint
the following standing committees:
Executive/Finance,
Administration/Operations, and
Planning
and Development.
The
President shall endeavor to appoint a
majority
of the members of a committee who shall
have
at least one year of prior membership on the
committee. In order to preserve continuity of
experienced
members on each committee in successive
years,
it is essential that appointments be made in
relation
to members' terms of office on the Board,
as
well as their prior committee experience.
4. Appoint
ad hoc committees as necessary to fulfill Board responsibilities.
5. Shall
serve as a non-voting member of the Board of
the Friends of the
Library, or designate a member of the
System Board to so serve.
6. Serve
as an ex officio member of all committees with
full
voting rights.
7. Act
for the Board in maintaining liaison with the
Director except where
other Board members are so
specifically charged.
8. Co-sign
with the Treasurer checks and notes for the
System.
9. Review
the arrangements for an independent annual audit of all accounts.
The auditor's report shall be completed no later than March 15 unless
otherwise authorized by the Board.
B. The Vice
President shall:
1. Preside
at meetings when the President is absent.
2. Carry
out the duties and responsibilities of the
President should the President,
because of absence,
incapacitation or other
reasons, be unable to perform
the President's usual
role.
3. Be
responsible for advising the Board when a Board
member
is in non-compliance with Article IV, Section
B, Sub-Section 1 of the
Constitution and By-Laws.
4. Be
responsible for the preparation of Executive/Finance Committee and Board
meeting agendas.
5. Sign checks as authorized by the
President.
C. The
Secretary shall:
1. Be
responsible for the minutes of the General
Membership,
Board and Executive/Finance Committee
Meetings.
2. Act
as corresponding officer of the Board when
requested by the
President.
3. Serve as presiding officer at regular
meetings of the
Board
in the absence of both the President and Vice President.
4. Sign
checks as authorized by the President.
D. The
Treasurer shall:
1. Assist
in the preparation of the annual budget
and
in the management of the finances of the
system,
other than the endowment.
2. At each monthly meeting present to the
Board and
analysis of the finances with regard to income and expenditures in
relation to the budget to date and as projected.
3. Prepare
a summary of the year's audited finances for
presentation at the Annual
Meeting.
4. Together
with the Board President, arrange for loans as necessary for the operation of
the System with Executive Committee authorization.
5. The
President and Treasurer co-sign all notes and
contracts for the
System. Should the Treasurer not
be available for a
protracted period the Vice
President shall sign.
6. The
Treasurer, in consultation with the Executive/Finance Committee and the System
Director, is empowered to invest temporary surplus funds in short
term interest-bearing
instruments, or accounts.
7. The Treasurer, in conjunction with the
Director
shall examine annually the property and liability insurance program and
the bonding program with regard to adequacy of coverage at economical
rates, and report to the
board regarding same no later than the November meeting.
8. Sign checks as authorized by the President.
ARTICLE III - DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF STANDING COMMITTEES
A. The Executive/Finance Committee:
The
elected officers of the Board shall constitute
the Executive/Finance Committee.
The President may appoint other members of the Board, Associate Board
members and non-Board members to serve on this committee, either as permanent
or ad hoc members. Associate Board
members and non-Board members shall serve on the Executive/Finance Committee
without a vote.
The previous System Board
President may be appointed to the Executive/Finance Committee in the interest
of continuity and to benefit from that individual’s experience and
counsel.
B. The
Executive/Finance Committee shall:
1.
Advise the President on
those matters which
he/she
may bring to it for consideration.
2.
Act on behalf of the Board
on emergency
matters
which may occur between Board meetings.
3.
Oversee the finances of the
system and
participate in
the preparation of the annual
budget for
presentation to the Board.
4.
Review all non-budgeted
requests, including those of
other
committees and present its recommendations
concerning
same to the Board.
5.
Recommend to the Board
appropriate arrangements for
the
borrowing of money when necessary for
development
purposes.
6.
Help to obtain funds for the
operation of the
System.
7.
Work in cooperation with
other committees where
financing
is involved.
8.
Conduct quarterly budget
reviews and take
corrective
action if and when necessary.
C. The
Executive/Finance Committee shall also:
1. Invest
and manage funds designated for investment and management
by the Board of Trustees. When,
according to
the
provisions of a trust agreement, assets
have been or are given, bequeathed or devised in trust to the System and a
trustee
or
trustees are named other than the System Board of Trustees, then the committee
shall provide investment advice to the
trustee
or trustees in the management of the trust.
2. Exercise the judgment and care that
persons of prudence, discretion and intelligence exercise in the management of
their own affairs, considering the safety of income and capital.
3. Make all investment and
management decisions
of funds under their control. These Committee
decisions
may be subject to review
and approval or
rejection by the Board
of Trustees.
4. Analyze and summarize the status of
invested
funds on a quarterly and annual basis and
report the
information to Board of Trustees.
5. Be vested with the authority and power
to act
in accordance with
the duties conferred
above.
Any financial institution or
other interested
party can rely upon this provision in transacting
business with the
Executive/Finance Sub-Committee unless
specifically
directed otherwise in writing by the Board of Trustees.
6. Enlist the aid of the Financial Administrator
in order to facilitate accurate and detailed reporting.
7. Be
responsible for monitoring the performance
and
effectiveness of Board members and Associate
Board
members, recommending action when it deems
necessary.
8. Nominate worthy candidates for
appointment to
Board
and Associate Board membership in accordance
with
Article IV of the Constitution and By-Laws,
and
taking into consideration the candidates'
representation
of the various geographical areas
of
the county, both sexes and a variety of
occupations,
interests and minorities.
9. Conduct an orientation session for new
Trustees
and Associate Trustees prior to their
participation in regular board meetings.
D. Reference to the
"Endowment Fund Committee" in the Deed of Trust dated
Adams County
National Bank, as amended on
at
the adoption of these provisions by the Board of Trustees, to refer to the
Executive/Finance
Committee without need of further amendment
to said
trust instrument, and shall act as internal audit committee to
review
operation for compliance with Library policy and contract
for the
annual financial audit of the Library by a certified public
auditing
firm.
E. The Administration/Operations/Property
Committee, with the Director, shall oversee the Library’s property management
and shall:
1. Be
aware of any problems concerning the maintenance
of
clean, orderly, safe buildings, grounds and
vehicles
and discuss responsibility for their
solution
with the Director.
2.
Make a monthly report to the
Board of the general
conditions
of the property and needed repairs or
minor
alterations together with the recent progress
in
handling them.
3.
In cooperation with the Director
supervise repairs.
4.
Make plans for long-range
developments as well
as for immediate concerns.
5. In
conjunction with the Treasurer, annually examine the
property
and liability insurance programs and the bonding
program with regard to adequacy of coverage
at economical
rates, and report to the Board regarding same no
later
than
the November meeting.
6.
In cooperation with the
Director periodically
review
the various services, policies, practices
and
procedures dealing with how the board and
its
committees should function.
7.
Make recommendations to the
Board with respect
to
changes in present services or the adoption
of
new or extended services related to the use of
the
library system by its members.
8.
Develop and keep current, in
cooperation with the
Director,
the staffing requirements of the System.
9.
With the Executive/Finance
Committee, evaluate the
Director
at least annually and report this evaluation
to
the Board by the January Board meeting.
10.
Make recommendations to the
Board regarding the
employment of the Director and the termination of
her/his
services.
11.
Approve salary adjustments and
make recommendations
accordingly
to the Board.
12.
Act as mediator where employee
problems arise.
13. Annually review manuals and make recommendations to the Board
for amendments thereto.
14.
Recruit, train and assist with
placement of
volunteers
to supplement paid staff.
F. The Planning/Development
and Named Endowments Committee shall:
1.
Be responsible for long
range planning and
community,
media and government relations.
2.
Provide an integrated
approach to identifying
persons
and organizations for funds solicitation,
solicit
funds and apply for grants and dedicated
library
support.
3.
Keep informed with regard to
proposed library
legislation
at the federal and state level and
provide
the Board with information related thereto
with
recommendations for action.
4.
Develop testamentary
support, through attorneys and
others.
5.
Encourage "Living
Memorials", involving substantial
gifts
of $1,000 upward given in memory
or
in honor of an individual, family or organization,
income
from which would be used in
perpetuity as memorials designated by the donors.
6. Encourage “Named Endowments”, involving
single or
combined
gifts of $1,000 upward given in memory
or
in honor of an individual, family or
organization,
income
from which would be used in perpetuity
for
the purchase of books for the System or as
directed
by the Board.
7.
Encourage gifts to the
System, in the form of
bequests
or otherwise.
ARTICLE IV - RESPONSIBILITY OF EACH BOARD MEMBER
A. Each Board member shall
consider it incumbent upon him or her to:
1.
Attend Board Meetings.
2.
Become acquainted with the
various financial matters
mentioned
in Article I, line D above.
3.
Become familiar with the
provisions of the
Constitution
and By-Laws, this manual and the
Personnel
Manual, and the Safe Kids Policy.
4.
Actively participate in the
committee assignments of
the
Board.
5.
Become aware of federal and
state library
legislation.
6.
Become aware of the
library
service.
7.
Assist in keeping the public
informed regarding the
System
and work for its public support.
8.
Participate in fund raising
activity as requested by
the
President.
9.
Be fully conversant with the
terms of the resolution
adopted by the Board of Trustees on
November 30,
1995,
regarding asset ownership.
ARTICLE V - GENERAL PROVISIONS
A. Gifts: General Policy Statement
When gifts
are received in the form of bequests, or
otherwise,
they shall be handled in accordance with the
following
provisions:
1.
When gifts are accepted with
restrictions, such as
designated
use for endowment, specific memorials,
et
al, the wishes of the donor shall be honored
insofar
as possible. If not possible, the donors
shall be advised.
a. In
case of gifts which include prefatory
provisions
which no longer fit existing
circumstances, the desires of
the donor
shall
be carried out insofar as possible
under
the changed circumstances, and the
donor
advised.
b. Gifts
which are designated for the specific
benefit
of any branch or service of the System
shall
be used for such purposes as feasible.
2.
Unrestricted gifts received
by the System shall be
used
at the discretion of the System Board, with
careful
attention being given to the building of
endowment,
and the equitable distribution of
benefits
for other needs.
3.
Gifts received by an
autonomous unit of the System
for
the exclusive use of that unit shall be held
within
the jurisdiction of said unit for
discretionary
use by the trustees of the
unit,
within the following guidelines:
a. Any
provisions, restrictions, or designations
accompanying
the gift shall be strictly honored.
b. System
standards set by the State must be
upheld.
Caution
must be exercised at all times by the System
Board both
in accepting gifts with restrictions, and
in the
handling of all gifts, lest precedents be set
that
cannot be maintained in the future.
B. System Accounts
The System
shall maintain such accounts as may be
deemed
necessary for the purpose indicated below.
1. Bookmobile
Replacement Investment Account - This
account serves as the depository of
moneys designated by the Board for
the
replacement of the bookmobile. A record
shall be kept to distinguish such
investment
moneys
and reported to the Board and membership
at least annually by the
Treasurer. Interest earned in
this
account shall be reinvested in same.
2.
Capital Improvement
Investments - Soon after the beginning of each year, a percentage of the operating
budget to be determined by the Board shall be deposited for accumulation
in this account. Money may be withdrawn
from this ccount by the Board of Trustees for major capital improvements and
projects of the main library, branch buildings and equipment. Interest earned in this account shall be reinvested in same.
3.
Named Endowment Account
-
This
account serves as the depository of moneys given in memory
or in honor of an individual, family
or
organization. Funds in this account are to be
invested with the income from which
to be used
for the
purchase of books for the system or
as directed by
the Board in response to requests
of the donors.
C. Budget
Transfers
Once adopted, the
annual operation and capital
budget
totals may not be amended. During the
year
transfers within the budget may be appropriate.
The
following policies apply to these transfers:
1. Transfers
between departments of specific line
item
amounts of $1,000 or less annually may be made
by
the Director. Transfers of greater value
need
prior
approval of the Executive/Finance Committee.
2.
Transfers within departments
of line items in any
amount
may be made by the Director without prior
Board approval.
3.
All transfers made by the
Director or Executive/Finance Committee
will
be brought to the attention of the Board at its next regular meeting
by
the Finance Committee Chair and reflected
in
subsequent financial statements.
D. Safe Deposit Box Procedure
1. Annual
Inventory - Each year when new officers are
elected
the Treasurer and System Director shall
review/revise
the inventory maintained in the
Director's
file. A record of the inventory,
signed
by above parties, shall be maintained at the
central
library main office.
2. Annual
Registration of Authorized Signatories -
When
new officers are elected at the
beginning
of each year, the President, Treasurer,
Vice
President, Secretary, and Director shall
sign
cards authorizing their access to the Safe
Deposit
Box.
3. Keys
- All keys to the Safe Deposit Box shall be
held
by the Director in a secure place at the Central Library.
4. Log
of Entry - The Director shall maintain a "Log
of Entry" to the Safe Deposit Box. It must
carry the complete record of the
following
information for each access.
a. Date key is issued
b. Time of issue
c. Authorized person to
whom issued
d. Reason for access to
the box
e.
Item(s) removed
f. Item(s) deposited
g. Date key is returned
h. Time key is returned
5. Permanent
Record - A confidential copy of each
year's log shall be attached to the copy
of the Minutes of the
Annual
Meeting kept in the Directors file only.
6.
Review - The log
shall be reviewed semi-annually by
the
President.
E. The President is empowered to authorize the
System
Director or Financial Administrator to sign all checks up to five
hundred ($500) dollars. Checks in excess
of five hundred ($500) dollars must be signed by two of the following:
Director, Financial Administrator, Assistant Director, or Board Officers.
F. The Library shall bear the
cost of PLA and any
necessary
memberships. Appropriate newsletters and
information
will be shared with the President and the
Planning and Development Committee Chairman.
G. Any member of the
(see Constitution
and By-Laws Article III, A) may attend Board
meetings.
1. The
President of the Friends of the Library or
his/her
representative has a standing invitation to
attend
Board meetings to report on activities of
the
Friends and participate in discussions without
franchise.
a. Minutes
and notifications of meetings shall be
mailed
to the President of the Friends of the
Library.
The System shall bear the cost of
recognition,
receptions and dinners for the System Board, staff
and
volunteers as determined to be
appropriate by the Board.
H. This Board Manual may be amended in part or in whole
by a
majority of the Board of Trustees at the regular Board
meeting.