In an at times tense mood the Christian County Library Board of Trustees moved forward in their monthly meeting this past Tuesday, November 19, still feeling the wake of months of tumultuous change on the board.
Following last month's final exit of former president Allyson Tuckness, the board elected a new slate of officers Tuesday, including electing Trustee Echo Schneider as president and Trustee John Garrity as treasurer.
Only two public speakers addressed the Christian County Library Board of Trustees Tuesday, one of if not the smallest crowd of speakers in the last year or more.
The election and public comment period made for a relatively quick start to the meeting whose first real order of business was considering two responses to a request for proposal for a new attorney for the library district.
The board voted to fire previous attorney Harry Styron at their October meeting, after he had entered a legal petition on behalf of the district against certain trustees, that petition was in response to disagreements about removing and electing a new president, an incident that evolved across several board meeting in late summer and early fall.
During Tuesday’s meeting trustees said Styron gave the district a flat fee of $500 a month for routine work outside of more demanding requests. Trustees said the district had previously budgeted $6,000 a year for legal services, with a few thousand set aside for emergencies
Trustee Janis Hagen had concerns about the potential costs of both new proposals but voted for the less costly option Richard Winders of Reynolds and Gold, which included a $220 an hour fee for services. Hagen was outvoted three to one and the job was awarded to Robert Petrowsky of Ellis, Ellis, Hammons & Johnson PC, which came with a $300 an hour fee.
Hagen said she understood points made by other trustees, which largely centered on the experience and size of the firm Petrowsky belongs to, but Hagen said she made her decision “for the taxpayers money.” Hagen said the board “argues” about money with other issues, and encouraged the board and library to watch expenses closely as the district enters the new agreement.
The second significant order of business of the night was changes to district bylaws concerning the board.
Trustee Garrity submitted the suggested changes.
Among other things, they would consolidate the power and responsibility of finalizing future meeting agendas in the hands of the Board’s President. This has been the job of the district’s Executive Director. Trustees Garrity and Schneider, who was present by phone, said they’d been denied the chance to add agenda items in the past. Library Executive Director Renee Brumett, asked “when has that been issue?”
Garrity stammered and could not reply before Schneider cited a prior meeting where an agenda item she proposed was denied. Brumett explained that that instance involved a closed meeting, and the proposed item “did not meet the criteria for being in a closed meeting.” Those criteria are governed by state law.
Garrity replied “we just don’t want to quibble about it,” to which Hagen interjected and explained “that's not a quibble, that’s a distinction.”
Hagen expressed worry about potential overreach from the proposed change and thought it may hamper the executive director.
Garrity passed documents around during the meeting with the changes. The changes had not been shared in detail prior to the meeting. This prompted its own discussion as typically the text and substance of items considered at public meetings are made available to the public and other trustees in meeting packets prior to meeting time.
The proposed changes to the bylaws will be up for a vote at the next Trustee meeting in December.
The board also heard a budget proposal for next year. It included pay raises in line with Proposition A, which recently passed in the state, and included what was described at the meeting as “positive projections” for district finances.
Executive Director Renee Brumett said the district’s budget is typically approved in November. Trustee Garrity was resistant. He suggested tabling the item, and asked Brumett “what happens if we don’t approve it today?” Brumett explained that it would not be “the end of the world,” but would “not give us good time to prepare for January first.” She cited staff anxiety around the pay raise question, preordering material for the collection and facility maintenance planning as areas that would all be affected by a delay.
Board President Echo Schneider encouraged Garrity to approve the budget with the understanding that he still needs to be onboarded as treasurer, implying he would then have a stronger grasp of the budget. He also received assurances the budget can be amended at a future date. It ultimately passed unanimously.