Concern raised about PCPL part-time assistant retention

Holding its regular meeting a week earlier due to the Putnam County 4-H Fair, the Putnam County Public Library’s board of trustees approved two new staff members Wednesday.

The board adopted two resolutions hiring Lyllah Chandler and Hope Turner as part-time Adult Reference assistants, with both being paid at the rate of $12.36 per hour.

With this, however, board member Barbara Boese raised a concern about the library going through a “revolving door” of assistants, questioning if the pay “is why we keep losing these people.”

Library Director Matt McClelland responded that upping the part-time hourly pay is “something to look at in the long term,” noting that it has been increased recently.

The board approved a revamped wage schedule last year in which hourly pay was upped by a dollar-plus.

“I think that’s (increasing part-time pay) a long-term goal, but right now is what kinda fits in the budget,” McClelland said. “We’re always looking for ways to improve that. There is some truth to that, that we have to keep up.”

Boese queried whether the two such positions could be consolidated to increase the pay for one of them. Not doing so came down to a need for a team of employees.

“Part of it is the staffing. You need multiple bodies,” Board President Kayla Flegal provided. “It’s when you have so many hours that you’re open, and then a part-time position can quickly become full-time eligible if that person is being asked to work too much.”

“We certainly, ultimately, want them to go into full-time work,” McClelland added, “but just to keep the desk staffed, it really makes up two 28-hour workers as opposed to one 35.”

Taking stock of these considerations, Boese made the motion to adopt the resolutions, with Kristin McClellan making the second.

In other business:

• With a financial report to the board, Mark Hammer of Hammer & Swigart reported that the library’s budget still had $609,814, or 52 percent of it being unspent. He said otherwise that the library had “very healthy cash,” and that no line items have gone into the red.

• Reiterating that it is to be finalized a month earlier than usual, McClelland told the board that its finance committee met earlier in the day to review an outline for the library’s 2023 budget. He said the board was able to review it, as well as the budgets for 2022 and 2021, and provide feedback.

McClelland emphasized the whole board being present for its next two meetings in August and September, in which the budget is to be publicly presented and approved, respectively.

• McClelland updated the board on the library’s micro-branch project, in that it was decided to go with local contractor Jim Tincher to build and deliver them. While it was initially believed delivery was not included in Tincher’s $5,640 quote, McClelland said it was.

McClelland related that the four units were “most of the way” built, with the only issue being their metal roofing getting back-ordered. He added that potential locations were being determined, with the next step in this asking local businesses for permission to put the units near them.

• The board approved to declare non-working computers, a printer and furniture, as well as any unneeded books, as surplus property.

• It was announced that Tiffany Shields will be resigning from the board, as she and her husband will be moving to Texas. As such, Wednesday’s meeting was her last.

Flegal said she and McClelland were working with Cloverdale Supt. Greg Linton to find Shields’ replacement. One seat is filled by school corporation leadership, who switch with each successive appointment.

Shields’ term as it stands ends in June 2025.

Joining McClelland, Flegal, Boese, McClellan and Shields for the meeting were Asst. Director Jane Hazelton, Board Vice President Alan Zerkel and Board Secretary Shannon Green, while Jamie Nees participated virtually.

The next regular meeting of the Library Board is set for Wednesday, Aug. 24 at 6 p.m. in the Kiwanis Room at the library.