November 14, 2022

Benton Public Library District
Board of Trustees Meeting
November 14, 2022

Members Present: Debbie Clark, Brian Crisp, Pat Hollada, Stephanie Hart, Kathy Storey, Sue Wells, and Sara Handlin

Absent: None

Library Director: Susan Stickel

Meeting Called to Order: 5:31 pm by Sue Wells

Approval of October Board Meeting Minutes

1^st by Debbie Clark 2^nd by Kathy Storey

Payment of Bills:

1^st by Stephanie Hart 2^nd by Sara Handlin

Financial Report:

1^st by Kathy Storey 2^nd by Debbie Clark

Librarian’s Report:

Susan thanked Brian, Pat and the Boy Scout volunteers for their time in the Reading Garden covering the character chairs.
The drain collecting water by the Reading Garden was cleaned out. Water is draining better now. Roots were cleared out of it. It was notedthat there is a lot of water from the surrounding area that goes through the drain. It might be replaced in the future by a larger drain. It should be okay for now.
The parking lot is now finished. Three speed bumps were added which should definitely help out.
Henry cleaned up the brush pile behind the old C & J Motor building.
Caesar Maragni did a nice write-up on Pam with the genealogy department and Henry’s pirate ship. Brian is going to contact Channel 3 news again about a story on the pirate ship.
The Halloween event in the Reading Garden and pirate ship was a huge success. A lot of people showed up for it.
Kimberly is straightening up the kitchen area and the back storage area. She is trying to make more room.
We are still waiting for a check from the items auctioned off from the auction service that got rid of the items from the C & J Motors building.
The lots behind the Reading Garden that has the trailer has been purchased by the city. They now own it and are going to clear itoff. They would like to meet with us and possibly partner up with an area that would go along with the back side of the Reading Garden. (Tunnel or bridge)??? Susan said she would contact them and see what might work schedule-wise.
Stephanie told us that someone is definitely interested in possibly tearing down the C & J Motors building and also knows how to remove the concrete. After further discussion, we have decided not for them to come over and waste their time if we are unsure of what will be done.
We briefly talked about the lot next door and how we are going to proceed from here. We agreed that we need professional advice, designs, input from the board about what could be done, where the funding would come from if we went forward, etc. No action has been taken yet on this yet,
The hole in the roof in the building has not been fixed yet.
Susan showed us an image of the sign on the pavilion in the Reading Garden with Lillie Adkins name. Curt Erwin construction will install it for free and Moon River Signs is designing it.