Cleveland Heights – University Heights Public Library Board of Trustees meeting highlights 9-20-20

by League of Women Voters

SEPTEMBER 20, 2020

Public comments
Financial report
Change in public service hours November 3
2020 payroll
CARES act
Lee Road carpet
Washington Blvd. appropriations
Service & administration policy
Restoration of staff pay and hours
COVID-19 code of conduct

Present were President James Roosa, Vice President Dana Fluellen, Patti Carlyle, Gabe Crenshaw, Max Gerboc, Annette Iwamoto, and Vikas Turakhia.

Public comments

SPARK program: Joanne Federman and Chrissy Zoldark spoke to the board about the SPARK program (Supporting Partnerships to Assure Ready Kids), which provides home-based educational services to preschool-age children and their parents. Currently, services are being provided virtually and through outdoor, socially distanced events. Twenty families are served; the goal is to serve 40 families.

Financial report

The board reviewed and accepted the July and August 2020 financial statements. Total cash balance across the operating accounts, Bauer Fund accounts, and investment accounts was $16,373,460.95. The financial director said the portfolio review shows that interest rates from investments are lower. Non-property tax revenue has decreased from 2019 to 2020. Accordingly, the library had previously reduced expenditures.

Change in public service hours November 3

The University Heights Branch and the public services offered at the Lee Road Branch (on the east side of the street) will be closed on election day, Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2020. The Coventry and Noble branches, as well as the HKIC (Heights Knowledge and Innovation Center), will remain open to the public that day.

2020 payroll

The board approved the issue of paychecks on Thursday Dec 31, 2020, paying employees 27 pays in 2020 instead of 27 pays in 2021.

CARES Act

The board approved the creation of a special revenue fund (280 CARES Act) for the receipt of CARES Act funds and authorized an appropriation of $100,000 for the expenditure. Each library building is eligible for $25,000, and the Cleveland Hts.-University Hts. Public Library has been approved to receive $100,000. Funds are to be utilized for the unanticipated costs of safely operating the library during the pandemic, such as the purchase of personal protective equipment, disinfectant, hotspots, signage, and barriers.

Lee Road carpet

The board approved purchase orders to Corrigan Moving Systems for $7,650, and to Messina Floor Covering, LLC: $42,590 to replace carpet in the HKIC, and $189,850 to replace carpet at the Lee Road branch.

Washington Blvd. appropriations

The board authorized an increase of $163,922.27 to pay for utilities for the remainder of 2020 at the Coventry PEACE campus.

Service & administration policy

The board approved the Service and Administration Policies of the Board of Library Trustees of the Cleveland Heights-University Heights Public Library as amended for 2020. Most updates were related to policy changes due to the pandemic. The policy will be posted on the Library’s website.

Restoration of staff pay and hours

The board approved the following changes:

HKIC full and part-time staff hours are increased from 50 percent to 80 percent of regular scheduled hours effective Tuesday, Sept. 15.
Reference and circulation staffing hours are increased for the part-time circulation assistants and part-time reference staff from 50 percent to 60 percent of regular scheduled hours effective Sept. 15.
Eight pages are being called back to work at 20 hours a week effective Sept. 15, 2020.
Elimination of two positions (maintenance technician & shipping assistant) effective Oct. 30.
Effective Sept. 19, restoration of managers’ regular pay rate as of Dec. 31, 2019.
Effective Sept. 19, restoration of the director’s and fiscal officer’s regular pay rate as of Dec. 31, 2019 (no 2020 raise).

COVID-19 Code of Conduct

In anticipation of the return of computer use and browsing, the library developed the following Code of Conduct:

Please stay only as long as you need to get your materials: To achieve safe social distancing, we are limiting the number of customers in the buildings. If a staff member thinks an area is too crowded, or we have customers waiting to come in, we may ask you to move along so that others may enter the building.
Facemasks must be worn correctly, and at all times: Your facemask must cover both your nose and mouth, and be in place for the duration of your visit, according to the State Of Ohio’s Statewide Mask Order. Face shields alone do not count as a safe face covering. Please note that if you fail to comply with our facemask rule, you will be asked to leave and you may be subject to penalties under Ohio law.
Please maintain six feet of distance between yourself and others: Please be aware of the location of other people while you are in the building, and maintain at least six feet of distance from people who are not members of your household while you are moving about the buildings.

The next meeting will be at the Lee Road Branch Library, Monday, Oct. 19, 6:30 p.m and streamed on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/heightslibrary/).

LWV Observer: Elizabeth M. Tracy.