MINUTES
June 12, 2024 at 4:30 p.m.
East Lansing Public Library Board of Trustees Meeting
Library Large Meeting Room
950 Abbot Road
The East Lansing Public Library occupies the ancestral, traditional and contemporary lands of the Anishinaabeg Three Fires confederacy of Ojibwe, Odawa and Potawatomi peoples land ceded in the 1819 Treaty of Saginaw.
1. Call to Order 4:32 p.m.
2. Roll Call
Trustees present: Amy Zaagman, Pamela Smith, Ameenah Asante, Shawn Nicholson, and Polly Synk. Also present were Friends of ELPL Representative Toba Kaplowitz, City Councilperson Liaison Kerry Ebersole Singh, Library Director Kevin King, and Executive Assistant to Library Director Shori Teeple. Five guests present.
3. Opening
3.1 Approval of Current Meeting Agenda
Synk moved
Smith seconded
All in favor
3.2 Approval of May 15, 2024 Meeting Minutes
Nicholson moved
Synk seconded
All in favor
4. Communications
4.1 Correspondence received from Supervisory Unit.
5. Audience
5.1 Public Comment - limited to five minutes per person
- None
6. Reports
6.1 City Council Liaison Report
- Applications for Charter Review Task Force due by June 15.
- FY2025 budget has been adopted.
- Verna Myers event took place this morning and for community this evening.
- Thanks for King's collaboration with City for Myers' visit.
6.2 Friends of the East Lansing Public Library Report
Kaplowitz reported:
- Working on board structure.
- Cafe art gallery will change each month through December; sales will be directly with artists.
- Volunteer Joan Faery's celebration event was successfully held on Sunday.
7. Committee Reports
7.1 None
8. Old Business
8.1 None
9. New Business
9.1 Nomination of Officers for FY2025 -- Action
Pamela Smith, President
Ameenah Asante, Vice President
Shawn Nicholson, Secretary
Zaagman moved
Synk seconded
All in favor
10. Library Reports
10.1 Financial Report
- Printed financial report shared.
10.2 Director's Report
King reported:
- Written report shared
- Staff tool for director evaluation - tool discussed.
- Motion to accept director evaluation as electronic tool for staff as presented, with friendly amendment to add item 18 "Is there anything you would like to change?" and add a box for "Other Comments".
Smith moved
Nicholson seconded
All in favor
- Charges for board committees - charges reviewed, documents to be updated and shared at July meeting for vote.
10.3 President's Report
- City Council voted on June 4 to reappoint Trustee Synk for a second 5-year term ending June 30, 2029.
11. Closed Session - Discussion regarding negotiations with the Supervisory Unit
Motion to enter Closed Session
Synk moved
Asante seconded
Roll call vote
All in favor
Meeting adjourned 5:18 p.m.
Meeting called back to order at 5:50 p.m.
Zaagman moved
Synk seconded
All in favor
12. July 2024 Meeting Date
Motion to change date from Wednesday July 17 to Wednesday July 10 at 4:30 p.m.
Zaagman moved
Synk seconded
All in favor
13. Adjournment
Zaagman adjourned the meeting at 5:51 p.m.
Board of Trustees
Amy Zaagman, President
Pamela Smith, Vice President
Ameenah Asante, Secretary
Shawn Nicholson
Polly Synk
City Council Liaison
Mayor Pro Tem Kerry Ebersole Singh
Staff Liaison
Kevin King, Library Director
