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Geauga County Public Library

Geauga County Public Library (GCPL) -August 15, 2023


Meeting: The GCPL Board met on Tuesday, August 15th at 4:00 pm at the Chardon Branch. This meeting was in-person with a virtual option. Video recordings of past meetings are on the GPL website. Four months ago, GPL decided to stop posting meeting videos. Reasons were the poor quality and the size the videos took up. Very few people had accessed the videos. The Geauga County Public Library meets on the third Tuesday of each month. Meetings are held at 4:00 P.M.


Public Comment: Permitted and included in the regular order of business per GCPL bylaws. Further clarified in Policy 215 - Public Participation at Board Meetings.


Board Attendance: President Kate Pitrone, Vice President Paul A. Newman, Kristen Brickman, Karen Delano, Joshua Hutchinson, Crist Miller and Jake Yanchar.

 It was noted that Mr. Yanchar had been officially sworn in before the Board meeting.

Staff Attendance: 

  • Kris Carroll - Director

  • Katy Farrell - Assistant Director

  • Lisa Havlin - Fiscal Officer

  • Nicole Burnside - Human Resources

  • Marlene Pelyhes - Tech. Services Manager 

  • Michael Pope - IT Manager

  • Danielle Hollar - Bainbridge Branch 

  • Denise Javins- Marketing & Communications Manager

  • Judy Lasco - Chardon Branch manager

  • Rachael Hartman - Middlefield Branch

  • John Johnston- Facilities Manager

Public:  This Observer was present.

Oath of Office:

Notary Amy Lydan conducted the swearing in of Jake Yanchar, reappointed Library Board member, prior to the meeting. 


Minutes: July  Board Meeting minutes were approved without discussion and are available online. The minutes are posted as soon as they are approved at the following month’s Board meeting.                


Agenda: all items were approved. 


Communications:

  • Letter from Geauga Engineering and Robotics 4H Club (GEAR) from Adriene La Favre, Advisor, thanking the Board and librarians for making the libraries accessible for the members and advisors to meet and work. 

  • Letter from Geauga Growth Partnership for providing space for GGP to meet over the summer and help with questions.

  • State Senator Sandra O’Brien delivered a certificate in recognition of Geauga Public Library’s 60th Anniversary.

Fiscal Officers Report – Ms. Havlin

  • The Ohio Department of Taxation (ODT) posted their initial revenue estimate for 2024. 2024 library revenue is estimated to be $24,000 less than the 2023 initial estimate. This is a change from the past 5 years when estimates increased an average of 32% a year. This estimate will be updated in December 2023. In August, the State Office of Budget and Management should release an updated revenue estimate for fiscal years 2024 and 2025 based on the impact of the final tax policy changes enacted with the state operating budget (HB 33).

  • GCPL’s budget hearing with the County Budget Commission is scheduled for Tuesday, August 22 at 9:30. Reviewer Note:  August County Budget Commission hearings are available here.

Observer’s note: Complete Library financial statements are included in the Board Packet sent out before each meeting.


Director’s Report – Ms. Carroll

  • Director Karroll met with Chardon City Stakeholders to discuss various options for improving the Chardon Branch. She and the library designer, Larry Corbus, had spoken with several property owners in preparation for a facilities Committee meeting. 

  • The 60th Anniversary GPL event held at Veterans Legacy Park was attended by 400 patrons. 

  • Safety and Active Shooter Training took place in the Branches. 

  • Toy kits continue to be added to the branch catalogs. 

  • She said patrons of the Library are amazed to learn that they can make $1 worth of free copies each day. 

  • Branch Managers at Geauga County Public Library won the 2023 Library Innovation Award from the Ohio Library Council for their creation and implementation of the Essentials employee training program. 

  • The Veterans Resource Center is now open at the Administration Center.  

  • The Programs listed in Line & Links (a publication of GCPL) are well attended. 

  • The Chardon Maker Space Innovation Center will open this school year. A soft opening is planned for October 2023.

Assistant Manager’s Report – Ms. Farrell

Statistics:

  • 68,234 patrons served at the branches. 

  • 15,636 computer and wi-fi uses

  • 308 programs presented for 12,599 patrons

  • 11,916 reference interactions

  • Total circulation of items: 229,765

Every branch manager or technical manager had a report in the board packet.

Chardon Branch manager, Ms Lasco, then talked about the special exhibits that Chardon has up for the 60th Anniversary GCPL celebration.


Public Comment: none

The meeting adjourned at 4:41pm


Next Meeting: Tuesday, September 19th at the Geauga West Branch at 4 PMGeauga West Public Library.  


Minutes:  The latest minutes are posted as available.  Here is the link to the minutes.  Prior to March, 2023,  videos of meetings were available to the public here.  The GCPL is no longer posting videos of their meetings.

Observer: Cris Takacs

Reviewer: Gail Roussey

Editor:  Anne Ondrey

The League of Women Voters of Geauga is a 501(c)(3) nonpartisan political organization that encourages informed and active participation in government, works to increase understanding of major public policy issues, and influences public policy through education and advocacy. They do not support or oppose individual candidates or parties. Learn more about the LWVG at www.lwvgeauga.org

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