PCPL Board approves virtual participation policy, personnel

Holding its first meeting in at least a year with a quorum, the Putnam County Public Library’s board of trustees approved a handful of personnel items and a new meeting policy Wednesday evening.

The board’s new policy is based on Indiana House Bill 1437, which was passed last April by the Indiana General Assembly. It sets out requirements for the use of electronic participation in official board meetings.

The law provides that board members may participate in open board meetings virtually as long as they can communicate with each other and be seen by the public. They would be considered present for a quorum and allowed to vote if they can be seen and heard.

The law outlines that 50 percent of a board must be physically present at the meeting and that a roll-call vote must be taken. For the Library Board, a quorum would constitute at least four of its members.

A board member may not attend more than 50 percent of meetings in a year virtually unless he or she is in military service, has an illness or other medical condition, has a death in the family or has an emergency involving injuries. A board member may attend two consecutive meetings virtually, but must attend at least one meeting in person except for the previous reasons.

Board members may also not attend virtually if the board intends to adopt a budget, approve a reduction in personnel, initiate a referendum or establish fees or penalties.

The law does provide that as long as a quorum is maintained, a failure in the technology that prevents board members or community members from observing the meeting would not stop it or invalidate the board’s actions.

The board also approved resolutions related to personnel, including a new assistant director. The board approved the hiring of Jane Hazelton to the position. She comes from the Danville Public Library and will be taking over from Treasurer Lisa Barker.

The board also approved the following new hires: Abigail McDonald as a part-time circulation assistant; Derek Lehr as a part-time adult reference assistant; Kayla Whitman as a part-time technical services assistant; and Constance Neiswinger as both the outreach services manager and circulation manager.

In other business:

• The board approved its slate of officers with a couple changes. While Kayla Flegal and Shannon Green will remain president and secretary, respectively, Alan Zerkel will take over from Tona Gardner as vice president.

Gardner’s term will expire on June 30. Meanwhile, Hazelton will take over as the board’s treasurer as Barker steps away from the role.

With Green, Zerkel, Barbara Boese and Kristin McClellan making up the quorum, Flegal, Gardner and board member Jamie Nees were absent. Meanwhile, Barker, Hazelton, Director Matt McClelland and Marketing and Communications Director Kaitlin Tipsword were in attendance.

The next regular meeting of the Library Board is scheduled for Wednesday, July 28 at 6 p.m. in the Kiwanis Room at the library.