Library Board:
Board of Directors
|
Clare Meade, Chair Timothy O. Tuell, Vice-Chair Jennifer Miglus, Secretary Kimberly Bobin Ralph Horowitz |
Bradley S. Milvae Laura Nash Daniel A. Silver David A. Troy Town Council Liaison Friends of the Library Liaison Library Director |
Wethersfield Library Board
Bylaws
Revised March 23, 2010
Article I. Name
This organization shall be called the Wethersfield Library Board, existing by virtue of the Wethersfield Town Charter, Section 506 and the General Statutes of Connecticut, Title II, Chapter 190, Sections 11-20 through 11-37, as amended, and exercising the powers and authority and assuming the responsibilities delegated to it under the Town Charter and the Connecticut General Statutes.
Article II. Purpose
The purpose of the Wethersfield Library Board is to ensure that the Wethersfield Library provides free and open access to materials and services to meet the informational, educational, cultural, and recreational needs of the Wethersfield community.
Article III. Membership
Section 1. Method of appointment
Members of the Wethersfield Library Board shall be appointed by the Town Council. There shall be nine (9) members, each of whom shall serve a three (3) year term (Section 506, Town Charter).
Three (3) members shall be appointed annually for terms of three (3) years commencing July 1 of the year of appointment. (Section 506, Town Charter).
Members must be residents of the Town of Wethersfield.
Section 2. Duties
1) The Library Board shall identify and adopt written policies to govern the operation and programs of the library including personnel, general operating and collection development policies and keep them up to date.
2) The Library Board shall recruit and employ a qualified library director and annually evaluate the director.
3) The Library Board shall submit to the town council annually a budget for the ensuing year at such a time and in such form as the Town Manager shall prescribe.
4) The Library Board shall be responsible for securing and supervising all funds appropriated to carry out library responsibilities.
5) The Library Board shall establish standing committees when deemed necessary.
Section 3. Attendance
Attendance of all Library Board members is necessary for optimum performance of the Library Board. Board members are expected to attend all regularly scheduled meetings, special meetings, budget workshops and the annual budget presentation to the Town Council.
A Library Board member missing more than three (3) of the above meetings during a twelve (12) month period without just cause (as determined by the Library Board), shall be asked to resign to make room for an active member.
Section 4. Term limits
No member shall serve more than three (3) consecutive three (3) year terms on the Board.
No Board member appointed or reappointed after July 1, 2004 shall thereafter serve for more than three consecutive terms.
Section 5. Ex-officio members
The Library Director or designee shall attend all Library Board meetings, shall participate in the discussions and offer professional advice but may not vote.
The President of the Friends of the Wethersfield Library may serve as an ex-officio member of the Library Board but may not vote.
The member of the Town Council who is appointed to serve as Council liaison to the Library Board, shall participate in the discussions but may not vote.
Article IV. Officers
Section 1. Officers and duties
The officers of the Library Board shall be a chairman, a vice-chairman and a secretary.
1) The Chairman shall preside at all meetings of the Library Board, appoint all committees, perform such other duties as customarily pertain to the office of Chairman.
2) The Vice-Chairman shall perform the duties of the Chairman in his/her absence and assume the office of Chairman for the remainder of the unexpired term in case of vacancy in that office.
3) The Secretary shall keep a true and accurate record of attendance and of all proceedings at meetings of the Library Board, issue notices of all regular and special meetings of the Library Board at least five days prior to such meeting, and maintain the minutes and other records of the Library Board in the office of the Library Director.
Section 2. Nomination procedure, time of elections
1) Officers shall be selected from among the members of the Board.
2) Nominations for officers shall be made at the regular meeting immediately prior to the Annual Meeting.
3) Officers shall be elected at the Annual Meeting.
Section 3. Terms
1) Officers shall be elected to serve for a term of one year.
2) The term of office shall begin at the close of the annual meeting at which they are elected.
3) In case of vacancy in any office, except chairperson, the office shall be filled by election at the next regular meeting following the occurrence of the vacancy.
Section 4. Office-holding limitations
No member shall hold more than one office at a time, and no member shall be eligible to serve more than three consecutive terms in the same office.
Article V. Meetings
Section 1. Meeting schedule
By December 30th the Board shall set an annual meeting calendar for the next year.
The Library Board shall meet no fewer than 10 times a year.
Section 2. Annual meeting
The Annual Meeting shall be the regular meeting in June.
Section 3. Special meetings.
1) Special meetings may be called by the Chairman.
2) The Secretary shall call a special meeting at the written request of five members of the Library Board.
Section 4. Freedom of Information
All operations of the Library Board shall comply with the Freedom of Information rules and regulations.
Section 5. Quorum
A quorum for the transaction of business at any meeting shall consist of five members of the Library Board, who shall be in attendance at the meeting.
Section 6. Board action
An affirmative vote of the majority of all the Library Board members present and voting at the time shall be necessary to approve any action of the Library Board. The Chairman may vote upon and may move or second a proposal before the Library Board.
Section 7. Conflict of interest
A member of the Wethersfield Library Board shall not use his or her position as a member of the Board for the private benefit or gain of the board member, the board member’s immediate family or an organization with which the board member is associated.
In the event a conflict of interest should arise, a member will be expected to voluntarily abstain from discussion or voting on any issues. If any member of the Library Board perceives a possible conflict of interest for any other board member, the possible conflict should be addressed and the Board shall then decide whether the issue represents a conflict of interest before the discussion on the issue proceeds. In such cases, the Chairman of the Library Board shall make the final determination if a conflict of interest exists. If the possible conflict of interest involves the Chairman, the Vice-Chairman shall make the determination.
Article VI. Committees
Section 1. Committees
The Library Board shall establish standing committees when deemed necessary.
Section 2. Governance Committee
A Governance Committee, composed of the officers of the Board (chairman, vice-chairman and secretary) shall meet as needed to plan the agenda for the Board meeting, identify potential board members, provide orientation for new board members and continually assess the effectiveness of the Board.
Section 3. Special Committees
The Chairman and/or the Library Board may appoint such special committees as may be necessary for the effective and efficient discharge of Board responsibilities. The committee shall be considered to be discharged upon completion of the purpose for which it was appointed and after a final report is made to the Library Board. The committees may consist of one or more members of the Board of Directors and one or more members of the staff and/or the public at large.
Section 4. Committee authority.
A committee shall only make recommendations to the Library Board, unless, by suitable action of the Library Board, it is granted specific power to act; nor shall it represent itself as speaking or acting on behalf of the Library Board unless the Library Board grants such power.
Article VII. Parliamentary authority.
Business shall be conducted according to Robert’s Rules of Order.
Article VIII. Bylaws revision.
Section 1. Review of Bylaws.
The Library Board shall review the bylaws at least once every two years.
Section 2. Amendments.
The bylaws may be amended at any regular meeting of the Library Board by the affirmative vote of six members provided that such amendment has been proposed at a previous regular meeting.
Adopted by the Library Board
June, 2000
Revised March 23, 2004
Amended April 27, 2004
Revised April 26, 2005
Revised March 23, 2010
