Call the Thursday, January 22nd meeting of the board of trustees of the Grand Murray Public Library to order. It's just after 5. All right. I'm Sarah McManis, trustee. Sue Mlone, trustee
>> and Olymp Commissioner. >> Electra Branwin, library director. >> All right. So the first thing we have on our docket is election of officers. >> Well, I'll nominate sir.
>> I'll second that. >> All right. I would [snorts and clears throat] be happy to serve as chair again. I've enjoyed it. >> Other officers need secretary. >> We need a vice chair and a secretary. >> Uh who who are the vice chair and
secretary in 2025? I I'm sure. >> Okay. >> The secretary. >> Someone wants to grab it, they can. >> I'll nominate you guys for the same slate here. >> That's fine with me. >> I would second that. I have done very
well. >> I move that we accept the the uh slate as presented. >> Support. >> Second. >> All right. Motion and second. All those in favor. >> Opposed? Motion passes. [clears throat] Efficient.
>> Yes. >> Thanks for your leadership. >> Thank you. >> All right. On to the consent agenda. We have today's agenda, the minutes from our November meeting, and the bills from the last two months because we didn't
meet in December. >> I move the consent agenda. support >> motion and second. Any further discussion? All those in favor? I >> I >> opposed. Motion passes unanimously.
In the communications, we've got the standard fund statements from St. Paul Minnesota Foundation and the Boreal Waters as well as a letter the library received from the Grand Murray State Bank regarding pennies. Does anyone feel [clears throat] any
need for discussion on any of those items? >> Well, I'd happily discuss pennies, but I have absolutely no effect on it, but it is really annoying. >> It is. Do you want to just speak to how the library is planning to handle this at the moment?
>> Sure. So, this affects us citywide and city council will need to make a policy level decision. Until that time, we've been given guidance to stop taking coins since we can't the pending since we can't deposit them and also to make
decisions at the department level to get through the interim. So, we will be rounding up, rounding down, accepting other coins, and waving fines if that's necessary to help a person um reconcile their account.
How much cash flow do you actually have as far as change here? >> I have to look at my records. >> But is it much? Do you do a lot of penny coming in? It's
probably a few dollars at the pennies themselves, but you know, we take a hefty hefty coin bag to the deposit bids because we have all of our photo copies that are 20 cents a piece and our our faxes are 50 cents. It's
very common for people to empty their change here and we're happy to take it. >> Yeah. >> But prefer not to receive pennies at this time. >> Yeah. Although I do think any business in town would happily swap out any
pennies you had. [laughter] >> Well, and the situation at the bl the bank is fluid as well. They're responding to communications from the Federal Reserve and so there's some give here.
>> All right. Should we segue into your report? >> Okay, certainly. I'll kind of touch through a couple of the library director's report items and then we'll go into the security follow-up documents. Thank you so much to Commissioner Mills,
Counselor Gary, and an Olympia for continuing to serve on our board. Um, I'm very grateful to have everyone and to have you back is really exciting. The Cook County seat for the Arrowhead Library System Governing Board opened
this year in 2025, I should say, and is now filled by former children's librarian Erica Tess. uh department goals have been set for the library and are based on the feedback provided by the board from the library performance review that [snorts]
we did together. So, thank you very much for your input. They're going to be team building and prioritizing other areas of the strategic plan. Our first action for team building is discussing the theme with staff. and I've invited some feedback to see what
would help them feel the most supported and um seen and heard in our process and kind of where they'd like to see this thing take us. Um strategic plan is in the agenda today if you all want to have a conversation
on that. >> Um have you met [clears throat] our new county administrator yet? >> No. >> How small? um she has a background in coaching and and training. Okay. >> And um she's going to be leading the county board through a a board retreat
and um has a really nice outline laid out and um might be a great resource to tap into for >> training or support or whatever if staff, you know, if it aligns. >> Thank you so much. Yeah. [clears throat]
Um the security cameras are the work is in progress. You can see one installed in the front foyer here. Um originally our intention was to cam only the outside of the building and because we're capturing
the facial res recognition here. Um right in the front lobby, there is one camera in the building. Um, it's on everyone's minds and hearts and daily lives, but the immigration and
customs enforcement operations that are happening in the Twin Cities have inspired communication um, discussion, dialogue inside the library. Our staff, I've provided some guidance on how to respond in the event that an operation
occurs on library premise. We're working with city hall. We are working with the local sheriff's office and have guidance from them. And I'm always incorporating the um therapists support through our employee
assistance program to try to create a robust plan and response. We're also providing some handouts materials for the public. Right now I have a really robust document that was shared with us from other libraries available on our website um mostly
because there are so many hyperlinks inside uh that would lose context in print. But they include things like know your rights. They include documents like how to create a family plan, how to delegate authority if you are absent
from your family, and also a a very extensive list of materials helping families with children process the emotions, what immigration is, and other relevant topics. So, that's something we have available right now. There's a
flyer on the desk over here where you can scan the QR code and access it on your um device as well. And um in the library world just this week, yesterday there was a
statewide discussion that three of our staff attended and were able to get more information about what this is looking like in other libraries [snorts] and also to share information and resources. So, we're very attuned to the situation and we're being proactive about
responding. Do you have any questions for me or concerns that you want to share on that level? >> Sir, um uh Ice can come in here because it's a a public
place. Is the is there a discussion of making a private uh have a no ice allowed in one of the rooms uh in the building so that so that if there is an immigrant in
there they could retreat to that room. >> Are you asking about using meeting rooms as non-public spaces? Yeah, >> I need to look into that further. Most of my research and what we've done already to date with our work and
installing the security cameras is identifying the non-public spaces that would be obvious like a janitor's closet or the staff work room. So, our next opportunity to look at things would be for example the public meeting room.
>> Yeah. Yeah. um went to a training in December and so um and and churches are no longer considered sanctuary. So ice can come into the sanctuary. >> But if I put a no ice allowed on the
office door and on my end on our meteor room downstairs, that can be considered a private space. >> Interesting. And so, and we also have uh and we've had this on for a while, no guns allowed. And so that means that ICE
cannot come into the building without a warrant armed. >> Oh. >> If there's a if there's a no weapons allowed, >> New York Times today had an article about the warrants. However, the warrants are not most of the time are
not signed by a judge, >> right? They're issued by the ICE chairman or priest president or what the hellever he is. So there's some debate about whether that's even legal. >> You're told so many different things
about what you're supposed to look for on one of these and there's a lot of discrepancies in what they tell you is acceptable. So, >> so the the way that we're going to handle this operationally in the library is by following protocol for data
requests and access. And it has to be a judicial warrant signed by a judge. It cannot be an administrative warrant which is developed by ICE and under the name of the Department of Homeland Security. Our protocol and training is that we are
not authorized to permit access. a judicial warrant has to be delivered to the city administrator and we can provide contact information and an address for that. >> That's good. >> So things that we would be looking for are um the ICE may be looking for human
resources information like I on your staff. They may be requesting um footage from the cameras. They could request data on um patron use of the library or the
materials on their account. And all of this is protected by law. And our process is that it has to be delivered judicial warrant through the city administrator. And we just intend to stick to our process with clarity for everyone involved.
Okay. The church's i9ines are at my house. >> I did hear that. >> Well, there's no place to store any [laughter] place else. They have to be protected. I mean, from other people's flags, they're my own. [laughter]
>> Okay. >> Um, >> thank you for being up to speed on that. >> Yeah. and for keeping the staff up to speed as well. >> For [snorts] sure. And thanks also to trustees who reached out to me proactively with links and information
[clears throat] and just being concerned for our staff as well. It's very [snorts] very much appreciated to feel that presence and support. One thing I want to call out from the December library director's report is that our boilers were inspected for
winter readiness in Cook County Plumbing advised that the manufacturer of our boiler systems gone out of business and planning now for boiler replacement would be prudent. >> Do you happen to know what brand his was?
>> I don't off the top of my head. Is there would you like me to email you after the meeting or is there >> that was just fine. >> Thank you. >> Sure thing. >> I wanted to make sure that we had some
time today to follow up on the uh work that was completed in 2025 on safety and security improvements for the library. And I [clears throat] have outlined that work. I'll just call out a few of the items that we developed
a comprehensive emergency action plan for the library and that extreme that streamlined existing policies and procedures. But importantly, it included sections on threatening customers and active shooters suspicious packages and building lockdowns which were missing
from our original facilities response plans. As a group, we updated the library conduct policy. I'm still working on getting permanent signage in the library, but the bulk of the work is done. And I have appreciated the work and investment
we made in terms of how um these pieces have really supported and facilitated quick action um in talking through ICE and doing that in alignment with established protocols.
Um, we're in the process of installing a professional security camera system. The work has begun and will continue and should be wrapped up by the end of this month if the weather allows. [clears throat] Um,
each of the policies and plans that we've implemented here have uh it's not a piece of paper that was developed and then filed someplace. They all had meetings with staff and tend to talk
through and do scenario testing and um opportunities to ask lots of questions. And we're [snorts and clears throat] in the process of continually providing feedback. As for example, if we experience a suspicious package, we refer to our plan, test it out, see how
it performs, and discuss how things can be adapted. the um revision that will happen this summer on the emergency action plan. Staff received a training on safer methods for removing a patron from the
library as well as backing each other up. I'd like to continue that training or repeat that training now that we have a refreshed group. Um, ultimately I'd like to see this standardized as behavior that we all know, understand,
and can perform. But for now, I'm going to um stay with the videos and allow them to provide the training and guidance. We identified a critical incident stress management process and this helps us debrief after second uh debrief from
secondary trauma and managing uh an incident. >> [clears throat] >> The communications plan is something that I have drafted and have tested as when we were looking at a possible media inquiry that I've executed with staff,
with city, with trustees to get a sense of how it would perform. And I'm working on finalizing something that will of course be subject to update through performance, but at least be um completed and moved through the process
here so that it's in place. Do you have any questions for me or want to discuss anything from the worklist? I liked seeing all our all our work and our discussion put into a nice
format like that. It makes it look like we discussed something worthwhile. >> We did. >> Okay. [laughter] [laughter] So, the strategic plan
Prioritizing areas of the strategic plan was one of the things we discussed as a goal for ourselves and that elector was given as a department goal. Um is there a particular focus area that you want to
look at first? >> [clears throat] >> Focus area 3 sounds like it's um the priority right now or one of the bigger priorities I guess. Um
[laughter] I don't know that I need to discuss anything there but >> um there was the other areas of the strategic plan that I was maybe thinking we could
flesh out a little a little bit Yeah. [laughter] >> Yeah. Other than the last bullet in focus area 3 that we develop a facility plan, a lot of it feels kind of on the operational realm >> for us as a as as the trustees. uh area
to >> Mhm. seems for me is uh to uh bring us I mean provide training for new board members in the role of capital planning is >> just elect or just re brought in
[laughter] but um yeah um and and and ongoing but uh yeah it's um professional board training on their own capital training I think something for us as a group
[snorts] um >> that we that we need to tackle. Not [snorts] not that Amanda needs to set up for us, but we need to, you know, working with the city. I wonder if we could see if Kim would be available to come in February or March
and go over the financial statements with us, especially given the changes we made to the financial policy, and just walk us through those and reading those and understanding where those funds are now. >> Would that be >> that'd be good? Yeah, I think that'd be
a good first step to get a grasp on our own finances and then figure out what else we wanted to know. >> Is did I hear you correctly that what you would like her to prepare is a discussion on how the financial policy was incorporated into the budget into
the financial accounts and >> and maybe even to just walk through the financial statements. These are the things to be looking for. A quick 101 on reading her financial statements would be great. >> Okay, got it. Thank you.
>> And it also says, "Develop a policy for allocating contributions." Uh, you know, setting a setting a deadline on that would is probably the best thing to do. And then you have to actually >> develop the policy. >> Do you feel like our modified financial
policy doesn't do that? >> Um, oh, that's right. We did. we did kind of go through it >> and kind of cleared up that everything goes into that one fund. >> Yeah, >> I think one of the things that can come out of the once so I do know that Kim
has moved the money around applied it to offset the balance that was in deficit that has happened. I don't know if the additional categories of where we've allocated money have been set up yet. >> But I do think one thing that will come
out of the February or March look at those financials and how the policy is performing in practice is that you may want to reallocate money once you see what you have available and where it's at right now.
>> What kind of interest we're getting? >> All of that. Yeah, that was Is that something you were interested in? I know the interest rates. >> Yeah, I think we did bring up interest because it's not very much relatively speaking, >> right? [clears throat and cough] >> Okay.
So, good for the first quarter. We'll look at focus area too and that'll lead us right into budget season. So that'll be great. >> Budget season sure comes up fast, doesn't it?
>> Seems like it's always budget season. >> All right. Anything else on the strategic plan? All right. In that case, we've reached the end of our meeting. Running a Dave Mills meeting here. It's not even 5:30.
>> We are adjourned. >> [laughter] >> Well, I would suggest uh then uh for as an agenda item for next time is to have information on the boiler, how old
it is um when is expected like going to be done and uh and uh where funds are going to start looking for funds to how to replace estimates and funds and >> I mean is that a is that a city thing
since it's that he runs, you know, or is that or is >> I am the leading expert on this facility and would be delighted to find this information for [laughter] you. >> I can tell you that we had this analyzed
by Jamar a few years back. And their assessment was, "Yeah, it's looking pretty old. You can tell here, here, and here, but we can't predict for you when it's going to die. >> Tomorrow night.
>> [laughter] >> Go away. >> Do you have leak detectors back? There's a lot. When it breaks, we can pick up the leak. >> I don't think so. >> Well, we did address a leak. You all remember that?
>> Oh, yeah. >> And we had some of the parts replaced to clean up some of the corrosion on the inside. Um, it's been a stable solid machine. >> The way we have a redundant program. So like if I think it's actually two boilers and it's like if this side goes
out that one keeps working kind of >> as much as it can >> so it won't freeze. >> Yeah. So that's >> how it when is the life over and where can we what what
>> does this come out of city budget or >> oh the funding >> funding since this is city property or city expecting the board to use the funds? The city's going to tell you that you get to decide
and uh you're you do have options because of the 215 like you can look at this as a capital expense that should come out of the operational budget and we do have healthy reserves that we can look at as part of the payment or full payment process or [clears throat] you
can consider using the 215. But I think that's a really great set of questions that align with getting that refreshed look at that policy we just wrote and having Kim come in and chat. >> Okay, >> those are my off the cuffs though. >> Sweet. >> Okay,
now you're >> Now we're 5:30. [laughter] >> Perfect. >> 528 and a half. [laughter] >> Thank you.