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BY-LAWS OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES
ARTICLE I.
Name and Authority
Section 1.1. Name. The name of this board is the Board of Trustees of the Jackson County
Public Library, hereinafter referred to as “The Board” and “The Library.”
Section 1.2. Authority. The Board exists and operates by virtue of the Indiana Public
Library Law of 1947 and assumes its powers and responsibilities under Indiana
Code (“I.C.”) 20-14.
ARTICLE II.
Membership
Section 2.1. Status. The application, appointment, term, and removal of Members of The
Board is in accordance with Indiana statute.
Section 2.2. Compensation. Members of The Board serve without compensation in
accordance with law and, with the exception of the Treasurer, may not be a paid
employee of The Library.
Section 2.3. Term. The term of a Member is four (4) years. However, a Member may
continue to serve until his successor is qualified as provided by law. Members of
The Board may not serve more than four consecutive terms of four years each for
a total of sixteen (16) years.
ARTICLE III.
Meetings
Section 3.1. Regular Meetings. Regular meetings of The Board are scheduled on the third
Tuesday of each month at 5:00 p.m. in the Conference Meeting Room at the
Seymour Library, with one meeting held each year at both the Crothersville and Medora branch libraries. The President in may change the date and time in order
to ensure a quorum or to meet special situations. Such regular meetings of The Board may be held without notice to members of The Board or upon such notice as may be fixed by the Members. Public notice is given of every meeting of The Board.
2008 Meeting Dates
Board of Trustees
Meetings are generally held on the third Tuesday of the month at 5 p.m. in the Seymour Library Meeting Room.
January 15
February 19
March 11 (2nd Tuesday due to Seymour Schools’ Spring Break)
April 15 at Crothersville Library
May 20
June 17
July 15
August 19
September 16 at Medora Library
October 21
November 18
December 16
An additional meeting for budget adoption will be scheduled in August or September after the spring release of the revised budget calendar
Section 3.2. Special Meetings. Special meetings of The Board may be called by the President of The Board or upon written request by two or more Members of The Board. Notice of the time and place of a special meeting shall be served upon, telephoned, mailed or e-mailed to each Member at his or her usual place of business or residence at least forty-eight (48) hours prior to the time of the meeting. Members, in lieu of such notice, may sign a written waiver of notice either before the time of the meeting, at the meeting, or after the meeting. Attendance by a Member in person at any such special meeting shall constitute a waiver of notice.
Section 3.3. Open Meetings. All meetings of The Board, except executive sessions, are subject to the Indiana Open Door Law (I.C. 5-14-1.5) and are open to the public.
Section 3.4. Executive Sessions. Executive sessions of The Board are called by the President or by two or more Members of The Board and appear on the meeting’s written agenda. Executive sessions are held under the limitation of I.C. 5-14-1.5-6.
Section 3.5. Quorum. Four Members of The Board constitute a quorum at each Board meeting. When a quorum is present at any meeting, the vote of a plurality of the Members having voting power shall decide any question brought before such meeting.
Section 3.6. Dissent. A Member, who is present at a meeting of The Board at which action on
any matter is taken, shall be conclusively presumed to have assented to the action taken, unless (a) his dissent shall be affirmatively stated by him at and before the adjournment of such meeting (in which even the fact of such dissent shall be entered by the Secretary of the meeting in the minutes of the meeting), or (b) he shall forward such dissent by registered mail to the Secretary of The Board immediately after the adjournment of the meeting. The right of dissent provided for by either clause (a) or clause (b) of the immediately preceding sentence shall not be available, in respect of any matter acted upon at any meeting, to a Member who voted at the meeting in favor of such matter and did not change his vote prior to the time that the result of the vote on such matter was announced by the chairman of such meeting.
Section 3.7. Rules of Order. The latest revision of Robert’s Rules of Order governs the conduct of all Board meetings.
ARTICLE IV.
Officers
Section 4.1. Officers. Officers of The Board are President, Vice-President, Secretary, and
Treasurer.
Section 4.2. Election of Officers. The Officers shall be chosen annually at the regular December Meeting to take office at the January Meeting. Each such Officer shall hold office until his or her successor shall have been duly chosen and qualified, or until his or her death, or until such Officer shall resign, or shall have been removed in the manner provided by law.
Section 4.3. Assistant Officers. The Board may have one or more Assistant Officers who shall
have such powers and duties as the Officers whom they are elected to assist shall
specify and delegate to them and such other powers and duties as The Board may
prescribe. An Assistant Secretary may, in the event of the absence of the Secretary, attest the execution of all documents by The Board.
Section 4.4. Duties of President. The President presides at all Board meetings and appoints
committees of The Board.
Section 4.5. Duties of Vice-President. The Vice-President presides over meetings in the absence of the President and shall become President should a vacancy occur in that office between elections.
Section 4.6. Duties of Secretary. The Secretary signs all documents requiring the Secretary’s
signature. Board minutes are recorded by a Library staff member designated by the Members and are approved monthly by The Board.
Section 4.7. Duties of Treasurer. The Treasurer, who is bonded, monitors the budget, financial
records, reports, audits, and investments. The Treasurer and President sign warrants which are approved by The Board for payment of expenses lawfully incurred by The Library.
ARTICLE V.
Committees
Section 5.1. Appointment of Committees. Committees are appointed as needed by the President. Committees include, but are not limited to, the Budget Committee and Personnel Committee.
ARTICLE VI.
Finance
Section 6.1. Board of Finance. The full Board and its Officers constitutes The Board of Finance and meets annually in January to review finances and depositories.
Section 6.2. Financial Powers. The Board has all financial powers and responsibilities as
provided by statute, establishes funds for the safekeeping of The Library’s finances, and invests The Library’s funds in accordance with Indiana law and regulations.
ARTICLE VII.
Library Director
Section 7.1. Library Director. The Director is appointed by, responsible to, and evaluated by
The Board.
Section 7.2. Duties of Director. The Director is responsible for the administration and
management of The Library.
Section 7.3. Policy. The Director implements all policies adopted by The Board, reports
monthly to The Board, advises The Board, and recommends policies and procedures to The Board.
ARTICLE VIII.
Amendments
Section 8.1. Amendments. These By-Laws may be amended by a plurality vote of the Members of The Board at any regular meeting, providing that notice of the amendment was given at the preceding regular meeting of The Board.
Adopted October 20, 1998, Revised August 19, 2003, December 14, 2004