BOARD OF TRUSTEES
OPERATING POLICIES
ARTICLE I –
Powers and duties of the Board
Section 1. This
organization shall be called The Board of Trustees of the Greendale Public
Library (herein referred to as The Board) existing by virtue of the provisions
of Chapter 43 of the Laws of the State of Wisconsin, and exercising the powers
and authority and assuming responsibilities delegated to under the said
statute.
Section 2. The Board
shall insure that the following mission statement is achieved:
The mission
of the Greendale Public Library shall be to provide high quality,
publicly-funded library resources, services and information to all residents of
Section 3. The Board shall have exclusive control of the
expenditure of all moneys collected, donated or appropriated for the library
fund, and of the purchase of a site and the erection of the library building
whenever authorized. The Board also
shall have exclusive charge, control and custody of all lands, building, money
or other property devised, bequeathed, given or granted to, or otherwise
acquired or leased by, the municipality for library purposes.
Section 4. The Board shall audit and approve all
vouchers for the expenditures of the public library and forward the vouchers or
schedules covering the same, setting forth the names of the claimants, the
amounts of each claim and the purpose for which expended, to the Village
Manager, with a statement thereon, signed by The Board President or his/her
designee, that the expenditure has been incurred and that the library board has
audited and approved the bill. The
village shall then be requested to pay the bill.
Section 5. The Board shall establish policies for the
operation of the public library and review these on an annual basis.
ARTICLE II
– Officers
Section 1. The Board shall consist of seven
members. A quorum for each meeting shall
be four members.
Section 2. The officers shall be a chair and vice-chair,
elected from among the appointed trustees.
The Library Director shall act as the secretary of the Board.
a.
Annual elections shall be held in June of each year
unless extended by a simple majority of the Board.
Section 3. Officers shall
serve a term of one year or until their successors are duly elected.
Section 4. The chair
shall preside at all meetings of The Board, authorize calls for special
meetings, appoint all committees, execute all documents authorized by the
Board, serve as an ex-officio voting member of all committees, and generally
perform all duties associated with that office.
In the event of the absence of the chair the vice-chair shall perform
the duties of the chair. In the event of
the absence of both the chair and the vice-chair, The Board shall elect a chair
pro tem. In the event of a vacancy in
the office of chair, the vice-chair shall perform their duties until the next
scheduled annual election.
Section 5. The secretary
shall keep a true and accurate record of all meetings of The Board and shall
perform such other duties as are generally associated with that office.
a.
As the secretary of the Board, the Library Director
shall prepare the minutes so that they may be distributed with the agenda to
each board member in advance of the next month’s meeting.
ARTICLE III
– Meetings
Section 1. The regular
meetings shall be held on a monthly rotation unless otherwise established by
the Board. The Library Director will
mail agendas and minutes to the members and post the notices in accordance with
the provision of Chapter 19, subchapter IV, of the Laws of the State of
Section 2. The order of
business for regular meetings shall include, but not be limited to, the
following items which shall be covered in the sequence shown so far as
circumstances will permit.
a.
Call the meeting to order.
b.
Roll call.
c.
Approval of minutes from previous meeting.
d.
Approval of vouchers for current month.
e.
Director’s report.
f.
Communications
g.
Public comment.
h.
Unfinished business.
i.
New business.
j.
Discussion.
k.
Adjournment.
Section 3. Special meetings may be called by the chair
on his/her own call and shall be called by the chair at the request of two
members for the transaction of business as stated in the call of the
meeting. All special meetings shall require
a written notice at least 48 hours in advance of the meeting.
a.
Special meetings will be posted and conducted in the
same manner as regular meetings of The Board.
Section 4. Proceedings of
the meetings shall be governed by Roberts’ Rules of Order as modified for small
governing boards.
ARTICLE IV
– Library Director and staff
Section 1. The Board
shall appoint a qualified library director who shall be the executive and
administrative officer of the library on behalf of the board and under its
review and direction. The director
shall:
1.
recommend to The Board appointment of all employees
2.
develop job descriptions for all employees
3.
be held responsible for the proper direction and
supervision of the employees
4.
be held responsible for the care and maintenance of
the library property
5.
be held responsible for the adequate and proper
selection of materials in keeping with the stated policy of The Board
6.
be held responsible for the efficiency of library
service to the public
7.
be held responsible for the financial operation of the
library within the limitations of the budgeted appropriations
ARTICLE V –
Committees
Section 1. The president
shall appoint committees of one or more members each for such specific purposes
as the business of The Board may require from time to time. The committee shall be considered to be
discharged upon the completion of the purpose of which it was appointed and
after the final report is made to the board.
Section 2. Committee
meetings of The Board will be posted and conducted in the same manner as
regular board meetings.
Section 3. All committees
shall make a progress report to The Board at each of The Board’s meetings.
Section 4. No committee
will have other than advisory power.
Section 5.
The Library Board President shall appoint one Board member to serve as
liaison to the Greendale Public Library Foundation, Inc.
ARTICLE VI
– General
Section 1. An affirmative
vote of the majority of all members of The Board present at the time shall be
necessary to approve any action before The Board. The chair may vote upon and may move or
second a proposal before The Board.
Section 2. The operating
policies may be amended by the majority vote of all members of The Board
provided written notice of the proposed amendment shall have been mailed to all
members at least ten days prior to the meeting at which such action is proposed
to be taken.
Section 3. Any rule or
resolution of The Board, whether contained in these Operating policies or
otherwise, may be suspended temporarily in connection with business at hand,
but such suspensions, to be valid, may be taken only at a meeting at which four
members of The Board shall be present and three of those present shall so
approve.
Section 4. Any board
member who has three consecutive unexcused absences from regular meetings is
assumed to no longer be interested in the library board. The Board shall request the Village President
consider requesting that Board member’s resignation and appointing a
replacement.
Adopted 01/12/05
Revised 09/12/05
Reviewed 01/11/06