Public Library Board May 19

Presentations

An update was provided by the Boone County Public Library’s (BCPL) outreach manager that was primarily about the various vehicles the BCPL uses to make community stops and visits to early childhood learning centers. They had 1,119 children attending outreach programs. The outreach department also handles everything to do with the Dolly Parton Imagination Library. The outreach department also has an adult outreach vehicle for senior citizens. They made 10 senior lobby stops in April and actually delivered materials to 50 private homes.

Public Comments

First, a gentleman who resides in Florence near the Florence branch of the BCPL voiced concerns about vagrants hanging out at the library branch. He contends some vagrants sleep on the benches outside the library, on library property, and at night, at the fence at the rear of the property, groups gather and use drugs. He can smell the marijuana. Bushes have now grown up around the fence, so Florence Police can’t see them from the street. The Florence police said they need permission from the Florence branch to pursue these drug users on library property, and the resident requested the library provide a letter of permission to the Florence Police Department to make the library feel like a safe place for patrons. Director Carrie Herrmann (CH) indicated a letter had just been provided to the Florence Police. 

Second, a resident of Petersburg noted the BCPL offers a comic book program, but no comic books are provided to Chapin Memorial Library (CML) patrons. CH indicated this is an annual event held only on the first Saturday of May. However, the branches must be staffed on that day to distribute the books and, as usual, CML is not staffed on Saturdays. A business provides the materials, and the vendor has indicated they may not do this next year because of the increased expense of production due to tariffs. (The materials are primarily printed in Canada and China). Board member Meyers suggested that if the program is repeated next year, BCPL staff ensure the “day” is on a day all branches are staffed.

Director’s Report

CH introduced a new hire who is helping the BCPL locate various grants to apply for.  The BCPL has applied for an $87,500 solar grant, and they are still waiting to hear about the Mellon Bank grant. Mellon received more than 700 letters of intent, so the BCPL won’t know until the end of May whether they can receive any part of this grant.

The Archive & History Center (A&HC) received an additional 2,500 historical records from the Boone County Clerk’s office, about 40 boxes containing records from the 1800s to the 1920s. Also located was an original poster signed by Founding Father Patrick Henry circa the American Revolution that the AH&C has acquired for preservation. 

The BCPL hosted the Northern Kentucky Regional History Day (rotating every other year with the Kenton County Library). Registered attendees numbered 149, with multiple speakers.

CH also addressed E-rate funding, which comes through the Federal Communication Commission (FCC) and which awards substantial discounts. The library receives a 60% discount on internet access through this funding, which may be bumped up to 80% this year. 

BCPL recently changed its vendor that supplies materials (books, etc.) due to a decreasing level of service and better discounts elsewhere. 

Accountant’s Report

Board Member Deborah Dutton-Lambert (DDL) continued to question the volume of reimbursement checks written to staff, including mileage on their personal vehicles when they leave the library to purchase miscellaneous supplies.  Surely something can be done through a credit card or online, which would be cheaper and allow personnel to continue their tasks at the library rather than leaving to get something and having to be reimbursed. Writing numerous checks also costs more. Board Member Meyers indicated she is tired of hearing about this issue every month and therefore requested the BCPL staff research a more streamlined process to handle these reimbursements. Board Member Trame suggested checking into the cost of ADP’s expense reimbursement process as, apparently, they provide this service as an add-on. 

Total year-to-date revenues through March 31 were a little over $11,111,000 with about $7,068,000 in district expenses. 

Business

Boone County Commissioner Chet Hand began attending Board meetings this month. Commissioner Hand indicated that as of Tuesday, May 20, he would be appointed as an ex officio member of the Board and would be attending meetings on an ongoing basis. Commissioner Hand requested he be provided with the same documentation packets provided to the Board members for discussion at the monthly meetings. 

Apparently, the library is considered a safety entity and so the BCPL has determined that they can notify the authorities if they believe one or more library patrons are physically unsafe, without legal repercussions. This required an update of the BCPL privacy policy, which was drafted by CH and the BCPL attorney for the Board members’ review and approval. However, a few of the Board members had issues regarding what they considered too-broad language of the policy, so the policy will be redrafted and shelved for further discussion.

The discussion regarding CH’s evaluation was continued. However, evidently Board member DDL was the only one who provided comments on the form and samples provided by Chairman Jackson, so the deadline for comments was extended to the end of the week.

Chairman Jackson requested the Board members carefully review the by-laws of the BCPL Foundation, especially regarding how funds flow into and out of the Foundation, as following cash flow can be complicated. CH will also set up annual reporting from the Foundation chair to Board members.

Regarding the BCPL Hebron uncommitted land usage issue, a community engagement firm, via a proposal, strongly recommended the BCPL hold public meetings to obtain updated input from the community as to how they’d prefer the land be used. The responses from the public at those meetings will be gathered, summarized and provided to the Board members for their review and decision-making process, for a fee of $5,500. The Board agreed to this. As the Board didn’t believe the public’s preferences for the land usage would deviate greatly from the 2011 survey, which was mostly park/green space, sports or senior housing (which is considered low impact to the community), a motion was passed by the Board to reject Core5’s industrial proposal, as the Board doesn’t believe building a warehouse or some other industrial development on the land would benefit the community. The $5,500 charge from the community engagement vendor was included in the 2026 fiscal year budget. 

DDL again brought up her concerns with the across-the-board salary increase to all staff.  CH indicated that she had to drop the increase from 5% to 4% for budget purposes but confirmed that BCPL does not utilize a performance-based pay culture. 

DDL was also concerned that the budget included nothing regarding purchasing some new furniture for the CML. It was determined that the CML ad hoc committee would address this and that any potential funds needed for CML based on the ad hoc committee’s recommendation could be funded from the capital outlay fund, which should have enough funds.

Consequently, a motion was made and passed accepting the 2026 fiscal year operating and capital outlay budgets.

The meeting was adjourned around 6 p.m.