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MARC LESTER NAMED PRESIDENT AT LAWRENCE COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY AUGUST MEETING…
By Susan Salyer
The Lawrence County Public Library had a Regular Scheduled Meeting on Monday, August 14, 2023 at 5PM at the Lawrence County Public Library, 102 W Main Street, Louisa, Kentucky. LCPL Director Carlie Pelfrey was in attendance along with ACTING President John Osborne, Vice President Susie Chambers, Treasurer Kim Burchett and Marc Lester. Secretary Scott Osborn was not present.
The Library Board of Trustees discussed the 2023 – 2024 Tax Rates.
Last year the tax rate for Real & Personal was 13.1 and the compensating rate was 12.7. There was a lot of discussion from the Board of Trustees concerning their decision to adopt the compensating rate earlier this year.
Director Pelfrey said, “The long term plan has been to lower the tax rate, now that the building has been remodeled and Covid, we can now see how the library will operate in a normal setting.”
Marc Lester made the Motion to table the Personal & Real Tax Rates and accept the Motor Vehicle Tax at 2.79 which has been the same for years and Susie Chambers 2nd the Motion. None Opposed. (SEE VIDEO)
Janitorial Services
The Lawrence County Public Library is seeking proposals for janitorial services. The service provider will arrange a nightly cleaning of the entire interior of the building following all scope requirements. Some exterior cleaning will also be required. The library will enter into a one-year contract with the chosen service provider beginning August 1, 2023. (SEE lcplky.org for more information.)
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Brooke Walker has been an employee of the Lawrence County Public Library for 8 years. She was given a new one year contract for employment at the library.
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The Library Board of Trustees discussed the selection of Officers for the Library. Marc Lester was named President, Susie Chambers will remain Vice President and Kim Burchett will change from Treasurer to Member. Motion by Kim Burchett 2nd by Susie Chambers. The Trustees have sent KDLA (Kentucky Department of Libraries and Archives) names of nomination but the library board will wait another 30 days to see if there are anymore sent in. (SEE VIDEO)
President, Marc Lester said, “I did not realize I was on two taxing boards. (The Lawrence County Health Board and The Lawrence County Library Board in Lawrence County, Kentucky) once I realized this, I gave Debbie Miller my resignation for a Lawrence County Health Board Member.”
(At this (Tuesday) morning’s Fiscal Court meeting judge/executive Phillip B. Carter named recent Louisa mayoral candidate James Allen Pauley-Barker to replace John Osborne on the Board of Regents of the Lawrence County library for a four year term. No nominee has been chosen to take Scott Osborne’s place.)
August 14, 2023 Board Update
July 2023 Door Count: 15,064
Summer Feeding
July 2023 Hot Meals: 6,127July 2023 Snack Bags: 5,198August 2023 Hot Meals: 1,280August 2023 Snack Bags: 1,212
Summer 2023 TOTALS16,113 Hot Meals16,551 Snack Bags32,664 Total
Summer 2022 Total: 12,811 (Hot Meals and Snacks)
Summer 2021 Total: 7,657 (Hot Meals and Snacks)
• Board Nomination for John Osborne replacement Emailed Fiscal Court: 8/7/2023 No response. Emailed KDLA: 8/2/2023, 8/7/2023 No response.
• Annual Audit: Scheduled for 10/30/2023 – 10/31/2023
• KDLA Annual Report Due: August 27, 2023
July 2023 Programs
July 2023 In-House: 88 Programs 10,647 Attendance
July 2023 Outreach: 144 Programs 5,189 Attendance
July 2023 Total Programs: 232 Attendance: 15,836
July 2023 Book Giveaways: 706 (Story Hour, Lobby Table, Outreach)
AGENDA
1. July 2023 Minutes – Motion by Susie Chambers 2nd by Kim Burchett.
2. June 2023 Financials – Motion by Marc Lester 2nd by Susie Chambers.
3. 2023 – 2024 Tax Rates – Motion by Marc Lester to table the Personal & Real Estate Tax Rates and accept the Motor Vehicle Tax rate at 2.79 2nd by Susie Chambers.
4. Janitor / Library Page Job Descriptions – See lcplky.org for more information.
5. Employee Contract – Contract was for Employee Brooke Walker for 1 year at the Library.
6. Trustee Officers – Motion by Kim Burchett 2nd by Susie Chambers. None Opposed
7. Trustee Nominations – None
8. Board Update – Director Pelfrey discussed the totals to the Board.
9. Public Comment – None.
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The next board meeting will be on Monday September 11, 2023 at 5PM at the Lawrence County Public Library, 102 W Main Street, Louisa, Kentucky. The public is invited to attend.
How many children were given tickets to attend the Build-A-Bear program?
How do we everyday LC residents get a ticket for our children?
How was it decided on who to give a ticket and who not?
How many children were given tickets to go to Camden Park for free?
How do we everyday LC residents get a ticket for our children.
How was it decided on who to give a ticket and who not?
Are our tax dollars paying for these opportunities? If so, then everyone should have the same chance for the opportunity. How were certain families chosen?
After the taxes rolls in they can start on the second story construction. Perhaps a free community restaurant. How about free oil changes? I know !!!! , a brand new car give away. A drop in the bucket when you have extra millions.
The library board scrimped and saved for years to have what they have. This never surprises me about people from Louisa/Lawrence County. They judge you for what you have. They do not take into account what it took to get there. They just want to condemn and judge the end result. I do not use the library but am proud of it and Lawrence County should be proud to have it. That is tax dollars used the right way. It will be there for many many years.
I’m sure most people are proud of it. They are just concerned with the “excessive” renovations. I mean do you remodel your house every 3-5years totally? I wouldn’t think so but the point is it’s awful easy too with taxpayers dollars. It happens everywhere I know but small towns like this and people wanna know where and why the money is spent. I believe that’s main focus I take away from a lot of the arguments. 1000$ of my property tax bill went to the library. I’ve not stepped foot in that place in 25years. To me that is excessive yes. I think they should be able to take the excessive tax dollars, since it is collected from the citizens and possibly put it towards this school Fletcher keeps crying about. Or fix KAGs roads bc roads are important as well. Infrastructure is overlooked most of the time I will agree there.
Library tax dollars have to be spent on the library and can’t be used for anything else. Is it excessive, maybe but that is a matter of opinion. The only way to change that is to run for office to have a voice. We shouldn’t sit back and cast stones. They are spending the money where it is supposed to be spent.
John,
I have no problems with people that scrimp and save and have their own dollars.
The dollars you claim they were scrimping and saving (I doubt that – too many employees and too much square footage) are taxpayers’ dollars – not dollars they worked for. The issue is when they assess more than is warranted, and then build a monstrosity in the middle of a small town that is unnecessary, in a small town that NEEDS a new school, in a small town that has a high poverty rate, and offering limited programming which includes bias with unadvertised opportunities.
Schools are a different situation by their self. Tax dollars were scrimped and saved for years to have what they have. What you see is what the library boards of the past and now had a vision for. Like I said, people condemn the end result. If anybody disagrees with what we have now you are in the group of those kind of people. If anyone is concerned about anything, what haven’t they run for office or expressed their interest on being on the board. That’s how changes are made. Step out, get involved, go to meetings and don’t cast stones.
Awesome comment, I SECOND THAT…..