Board passes new budget, gives employees contracts, lends money to Feeding program at regular monthly meeting
By Susan Salyer
LOUISA, Ky. — On Monday June 13, 2022 the Lawrence County Public Library Board Members met for a regular scheduled meeting at 5 PM. Those in attendance were President of the Board John Osborne, Vice-President Susie Chambers, Secretary Scott Osborn, Member Marc Lester and Librarian Carlie Pelfrey. Absent was Treasurer Kimberly Burchett.
AGENDA
1. May 2022 Minutes – Motion by Scott Osborn 2nd Marc Lester. None opposed. No discussion.
2. April 2022 Financials – Motion by Marc Lester 2nd by Susie Chambers. None opposed. No discussion
3. 2021-2022 Budget Amendment – Motion by John Osborne 2nd by Marc Lester. None opposed. (April report adjusted to June 30, 2022 Budget Lines.)
4. 2022-2023 Final Budget – Motion by Susie Chambers 2nd by Marc Lester. None opposed. (Pelfrey said “I made changes to line 611, added income for Summer Feeding since library is reimbursed and I wanted to keep it separate.”
She said she deleted budget lines 769.1 and 769.2 because no longer is Bond Principal Payment taken from the General Fund. She said she deleted budget line 781 for Hardware public use, example (projector and laptops) She deleted programming line 750.1 and 750.5 for Operational Reserve, escrow for bond paid off was $1,243,692. balance less expenses equals estimated 2022-2023 budget.
Lunches from Dee’s Dairy Bar, given to anyone 18 and under, like this are served at the Public Library each day this summer!
5. Staff Discussion on Library Employees’ Contracts – Motion by Marc Lester 2nd by Susie Chambers. None opposed. Pelfrey said, “I sent a copy of the employee contracts to everyone earlier (that day) and it’s the same for employees except variations in pay, sick days, vacation or service yrs it would also identify job and description.”
Last month Ms. Pelfrey gave herself and all other employees at the Public Library an 8% raise which is reflected on the budget.
6. Board Update – Pelfrey said in discussion, “There were 86 programs at the library and 2,259 people were in attendance,” Pelfrey told the board.
- The feeding program had 1,024 people. This included all breakfast and lunch and Outreach Coordinator Tammy Lemaster (who delivered 55 meals in Webbville, Kentucky.) which left 996 fed in the library
- Pelfrey then said, “Bond Escrow Account is finished for 2024-2025. “I received a call from Citizens Bank, the one that used to be People’s Bank, about the library’s CD (Certificate of Deposit) it was maturing and needed to be renewed.”
- Pelfrey told the board that Dan Miller (Miller Consulting Group) will not be with the board because he was out of town in Washington, D.C. so Pelfrey went over the proposed goals and said Miller would expand at next month’s meeting. “Strengths” at the library are meeting rooms, outreach vehicles, more staff.
- Cons would be the LMS (Learning management system) Pelfrey said the library has an antiquated system and needs to be updated badly.
- Another Con would be book orders take a very long time to receive once ordered.
- Pelfrey wants to advertise to hire two new positions, Clerk and Program Assistant. She wasn’t satisfied with the previous applicants, she said, she wants someone qualified for part-time staff. Pelfrey said Hours of operation hinge on staff, there are staffing issues, Outreach Programs would aid remote print options.
- The library offers FED EX and UPS, New Passport facility, the library no longer have AARP Representatives preparing tax refunds.
- A Threat to the library is SB 167, no discussion.
- supply chain for books and supplies being received,
- Covid, no discussion
- the population, no discussion
- and false and negative publicity (she did not say what was false and where it came from). Motion by Scott Osborn 2nd by John Osborne all in favor.
7. Public Comments-(Nothing said)
8. Adjourned Meeting-Motion by Marc Lester 2nd Susie Chambers
The meeting lasted for 29 minutes and the electricity went off just before it started.
Editors Note — Mrs Carly Pelfrey acted, as usual, in an unprofessional manner at the meeting and refused to even give our reporter a copy of the agenda. She sent an email a couple of weeks ago about what bank the library does (the public’s) business with, which indicates the library does business with all four banks in town. Still nothing on who held the $6.5 million before it was spent this year and where the more than $1.5 million they still have left is kept.
‘Mrs. Pelfrey said the library will hand out free lunches and a snack for breakfast for the rest of the summer.”
Somone needs to tell Mrs. Pelfrey it’s not FREE
It is free to the kids who receive it. It’s a federal program offered across the US. Our kids need and deserve this program.
The editors note cracks me up!! Someone has a very thin skin….
We have found no other library in the region that has this program but it sure came along at a good time with food prices so high. BTW, the federal funds you referred comes from your paycheck if you have a job, it’s not FREE.
Again Good One Boss
I get so sick of the ” I pay taxes. It ain’t free!” crap! It’s free to these hungry kids! Get over your obsession with the library.
Like they said , it’s free to the kids.
Dang it I agree with Kag again. It’s not free.
You people can’t understand plain English. The kids who get these meals don’t pay a dime for the food. IT IS FREE TO THEM!
86 programs during may. And the lunches served were for 6 days in may
The school feeds them and now the library feeds them with their overflow of cash. Ky will for sure keep the child obesity title. Taxpayers are hit three times for this tab. Food stamps,school taxes and now library taxes. Come on library do something for the animal shelter. Our kids are fat enough. Feed the animals. The noble cause used to be give all kids a laptop. Then they discovered most of them were destroyed with no connection out in the county. So now we’re feeding them AGAIN. Enough is enough. With millions of taxpayers money, the library should donate to the animal shelter. Look into this judge. The library wouldn’t miss 500,000.00/year. Pocket change from their 6 million.
You’re wrong, the school doesn’t feed all summer. They’re only feeding during summer school. I would know, I had two kids doing it. Shame on you for body shaming children, it really shows to the quality of your character. The library can’t give money to the animal shelter, just like it couldn’t give it to the school. People pay a library tax, and that money has to be spent on the library. There isn’t an animal shelter tax.
It would be better to cut the taxes that way I will spend the money on what I want to
Hungry kids are more important than dogs and cats.
According to the State of Childhood Obesity, Kentucky ranks number one for obesity in Children 10-17 yr-olds at 23.8 % (2019-2020). Number two is Mississippi at 22.3%. Then Louisiana and good ole WV. Yes our kids must be starving. So lets all pretend these numbers don’t exist. It does make for good press feeding our children. When all else fails feed the children. Lower the library tax rate and take that amount and give to the shelter. This wouldn’t be any more taxes it would be a distribution of taxes (Animal Shelter Tax). The library has so much money they have to hire an outside person to figure out how to spend it. After paying an administrator 80,000/yr. The people who have kids are responsible for feeding them. Just think how the money spent on stuffing our kids would go on a spay and neuter program.
Don’t want to give money to any animal shelter just want to keep MY OWN MONEY then I can decide what to do with it
I don’t mean to seem uncaring, but kids today, in the US, are not going hungry. No ifs, ands, or buts about it…. Well there are butts alright.
America doesn’t know what hunger is.
Mr. Grayson, get a life. You must be one miserable person.
Thanks for reading, John.
Thanks Lazer for keeping the taxpayers informed how our tax money is being wasted. Does anyone realize how much it will cost to feed everyone under the age of 18 lunch? Is this how you want your tax dollars spent? The tax rate must be lowered for the library. Changes need to be made at the library. As in , clean house. The whole problem lies on the overflow of tax dollars. Then all this other crap comes along with this problem. Attitudes develop and here we are at an embarresing point. The library has hit the Lawrence County lottery. At this point in time, in our society, can you believe that the Lawrence County Public library is struggling for ways to spend their millions of tax dollars from a poor county like Lawrence. Ok, let KAG spend her money how she wants. Im ok with that. Just dont throw it out the door just to get rid of it. Shameful.
Dammmmmmmm
They aren’t paying a dime for the hot lunches. The USDA reimbursed them.
Hank who pays the USDA The Taxpayers
Someone said the library is feeding everyone coming into town for the 4th of July. Is this true? How cool. T Bone steaks? Count me in. It will be free to everyone who doesn’t pay taxes. Hope KAG can make it !