Board Meeting minutes – 5/9/2022

Call to Order: The meeting was called to order at 10:02 am.

Member Roll Call: Present were John Shewalter, Dave Ochenreider, Brian Shoemake, Dee, Mounts, Kameron Mitchell, Director Vanja Anderson, and Shanna Gibbons. Guests present were Leo Blundo, Alysha Wogee, and members of the public. Michelle Nelson from the District Attorney’s office was attending via telephone conference.

The Pledge of Allegiance was recited.

Trustee/Director/Liaison Comments:

Leo Blundo – Projecting that the library board report to the County Board of Commissioners may be on the agenda for June 17. Congratulations were given to the new director, Vanja Anderson.

Assistant Director Shanna Gibbons welcomed the new director. Also stated that the library has 48,000 Covid test sets sent by the Health department. They are free. Please take some.

Director Vanja Anderson thanked everyone for the warm welcome. She is excited to be here.

Trustee Shoemake stated his pleasure to now have a director in place so that we can move forward on plans we have for the library.

Chairman Shewalter thanked the staff for their efforts during the interim between directors. He also thanked Alan Michels for his supportive, personal letter.

Approval of the Agenda: Item 7 (Emergency Items) was stricken from the agenda. The May 9, 2022 agenda was approved as amended.

General Public Comment:

Alan Michels – Welcomed the new director. He and his wife has brought ideas to the library. One of them is the “free libraries” in the parks and they have volunteered to service them as needed. He also suggested placing some of the Covid test sets out there as well.

Leo Blundo – Was concerned that the American Library Association picked a self-proclaimed Marxist/Lesbian as their president. He stated that we are a Constitutional Republic and the apparent goals of the ALA is to change that using in part public libraries. However, we stand strong on our Constitutional Rights.

Jenny Okawa – Complained that a comment by the Chairman to keep politics out of the decisions of the board was political and the Board since 2019 has done nothing but politicize this library.

Joe Burdzinski – Recommended that the Board consider placing smart technology in this room in a classroom-type environment where there could be public seminars, and so on. He stated he would be willing to help in any way he could in installing those systems.

Muriel Areno – Congratulations to everybody for hiring a new director. She opined that the people of Nye country have a different idea of what this country actually is. We are not an island but are a part of the whole US. Also suggested that we replace the prayer before the meeting starts with a minute of silence, which would be more inclusive.

Approval of the Minutes: Mitchell moved to accept the minutes of the April 11, 2022 Library Board of Trustees meeting as amended. Ochenreider seconded the motion. The minutes were approved by a vote of 5 - 0.

Presentation Treasurer’s Report: Shanna Gibbons stated she is working on the budget with the CPA and that they have set up a budget hearing for the 23rd of May at 10:00 am here in the library meeting room. It is a tentative budget. They are also working on getting their bank account moved from the Treasurer. With that she will have a better report on the expenditures and revenues.

Approval of Payment Vouchers: Shoemake moved to approve the payment vouchers for the period of April 2022 to May 2022. The motion was seconded by Mitchell.

Mitchell had questions on two values listed: AtoZdatabases and  Userful Corporation. Gibbons stated they were annual fees for databases used here at the library such as people finders, etc. And the Userful Corp is the public computer program used in the library.

Ochenreider requested the report place “quarterly” or “annual” on those types of fees to help clarify them.

Shoemake asked what the charge for Network Savants was. Gibbons stated that only when work is done would there be a charge listed.

The motion was approved by a 5 - 0 vote and the vouchers were signed.

Presentation Librarian’s Report: Shanna Gibbons reported on the April 2022 library activities, which included patron traffic, books checked out, books returned, internet usage, story time, STEAM, website usage, and materials added. See backup. Alysha Wogee reported on an “Easter Egg tree” that was well-received. Also, the summer reading s beginning on June 2nd  at 10:00 am at Deutch Memorial Park. There will be a number of presenters and lots of goodies for the children.

Agenda item 12:

Shoemake moved to 1) approve Industrial Light & Power, LLC’s lighting retrofit scope of work for bidders dated April 27, 2022; 2) approve cost not to exceed $6,000.00; and 3) fund from capital improvement funds. Ochenreider seconded the motion.

Pawlak – employee of the library, wanted to ensure that any contractor take into consideration the investment already made in retrofitting the library with LED lighting. Also, he recommended that any vendor coming into the library be barred from bringing in equipment as a safety precaution to the patrons.

Alan Michels – stated that the Friends of the Library organization, now defunct, has approximately $7500 in a fund. He wondered whether it would be possible to move that money over to another fund and use it for lighting.

Trustee Mitchell asked for clarification of this motion. He was told that this was a scope of work for bidding companies who wish to complete the work decided on.

Shoemake thanked Mr. James of Industrial Light & Power for his help.

Approval of the motion was made by a 5 – 0 vote.

General Public Comment:

Bill Carns – Inquired on the time the children’s events would begin.

Trustee, Director, and Liaison Comments:

Trustee Mitchell stated that the Science Day agenda item will be forthcoming for the next meeting.

Trustee Mounts reiterated that she will be discussing with the children’s director the “dogs & children” reading idea she has. Requested that everyone read the article in Pahrump Life magazine on the Library Board.

Meeting adjourned at 10:44 am.

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