Jasper Public Library Board meeting – Executive and public meeting set in regards to “property acquisition”

The Jasper Library Board met Thursday afternoon with a new board member. The Greater Jasper School Board in their January meeting appointed Mark Kunkel as new board member, replacing Mary Ellen Backer.

At the beginning of the meeting, Board President Bill Hewitt thanked Backer for her 10 years of service on the board and then welcomed Kunkel as her replacement.

In other news, the Department of Local Government Finance sent back the 2012 budget for the Jasper Library in unapproved status. There is a difference of $80,000 between the budget as adopted by the board and the one sent back with changes by the DLGF.

The board examined the changes but was unable to determine the reason for such a large discrepancy between the two. Library Director Rita Douthitt told the board that she would contact them and find out the reason. According to Doughitt the board should not be required to edit the budget and resubmit it, but did state they needed to get the discrepancy resolved to avoid any future issues.

In her director’s report, Douthitt also told the board that the water leak repairs to the roof area where it connects to the outer walls has been fixed by Schmitt Contracting. The separation between the outer wall and the roof edge created a series of leaks that allowed water to run inside of the building was discussed at the last library board meeting.

Douthitt also informed the board that the staff copier is in need of replacing due to the fact that it is 14 years old; parts can no longer be obtained to fix it when it breaks down and soon they will will no longer be able to purchase toner for the unit. The board approved a quote by Hoosier Business Machines to replace the old one with a new model.

In an update on worker space, Douthitt also reported that she has been looking into upgrading the workroom for employees so that it can handle 4 persons instead of three that it now serves.

The board asked Douthitt to obtain quotes from Dubois County office furniture companies to outfit the room with highly efficient work spaces that will serve their needs.

She also recommended to the board that they move the server to a storage closet area next to her desk so that they can free up the server room for more worker space as well. She is also obtaining quotes to have that work performed.

Finally, Board President Bill Hewitt recommended that the board pick a date in late February for an executive session. Library Board Attorney Bill Shaneyfelt said that the notification for an executive session must read, “Strategy with respect for competitive bargaining purpose with respect to property acquisition.”

The session pertains to future Jasper Library plans. Hewitt asked for the meeting to be held on Thursday, February 23rd with the executive session first, and then a special public session afterwards. At least one board member, Secretary Deb Stemle, stated that she could not attend, but a quorum will still be in effect with the remaining members. The next regular monthly meeting date of March 1st was then selected by the board. That meeting will be held in the Ferdinand Library.

The special public session would also include a discussion of the budget after answers are obtained from the DLGF about the differences.