By Susan Salyer
On Monday July 11, 2022 The Lawrence County Public Library Board Members met at the Library for a regular scheduled meeting at 5PM. Those in attendance were President John Osborne, Vice-President Susie Chambers, Treasurer Kim Burchett, Member Marc Lester. Secretary Scott Osborn was absent.
AGENDA
1. June 2022 Minutes – Motion by Susie Chambers 2nd by Kim Burchett. No Discussion. None Opposed.
2. May 2022 Financials – Motion by Kim Burchett 2nd by Marc Lester. No Discussion. None Opposed. (No copy provided for the public. It is NOT on their website or FB.)
3. Dan Miller – Strategic Plan – Discussion by Dan Miller from Miller Consulting Group from Georgetown, Kentucky. Miller went over the Strategic Planning and had a draft plan prepared for the board members.
Miller said, “I went over the surveys and took out all the really Good and really Bad comments. (Miller said Librarian Carlie Pelfrey has a list of ALL the comments). Some of the Strengths to build on according to the survey were steady funding, population growth and children’s programs.
Some of the weaknesses on the surveys included the hours of service for the library, marketing, not enough staff and overtime.
The proposed Strategic Plan from Miller Consulting included five goals:
- 1. Staffing at library and hours of operation
- 2. Programs – To find out what programs are working
- 3. Outreach – How can you visit customers of the library or create a new look with the Outreach vehicles
- 4. Technology – Find new technologies and new ways to make it easier on the library patrons for example, books to read, faxing or photocopies
- 5. Policy Manual- Review and Re-approve all policies or draft new policies.
“The Public WI-FI is in high demand and nothing needed to be done on the library building or children’s area. Although the library needs to work on Hours of Operation, making the website better and the selection of books per the surveys.” Miller said. “This 3 Year Strategic Plan will run between Fall of 2022 to 2025. If there are any changes that need to be made to the Strategic Plan will be finishing by next regular scheduled meeting.” Motion by Marc Lester 2nd by Susie Chambers, none opposed.
4. Board Update – Discussion from Library Director Carlie Pelfrey: “I have been looking to purchase a Projector for the meeting room with a wireless mic. I have been in contact with a company and the gentleman has already been to the library to measure and take pictures of the meeting room where the projector will be.”
Library Treasurer Kim Burchett asked Pelfrey if that was the only business that has sent a bid.
Pelfrey said, “One company doesn’t sell projectors anymore, and the other bid was in Huntington, WV.” Pelfrey said. “I received a bid from the Huntington business which was recommended to Pelfrey by Lee Balaklaw.
Kim Burchett Treasurer for the LC Public Library Board said, “I think we should get another bid to see the cost price difference.”
Pelfrey said, “The equipment turnaround will take up to a 1 1/2 months to complete. Also electrical work has to be finished before the no bid projector arrives.”
Library Board Member Marc Lester said, “The price was very reasonable for the purchase.” Pelfrey said, “The price was very reasonable” and Treasurer Kim Burchett said she was surprised at the cost, “I thought it would be higher,” she said.
Library President John Osborne asked Carlie how when she advertised the bids, Pelfrey replied she didn’t get any bids she just asked friends for recommendations.”
Lester said “I’m okay with making the motion.” The Library Board decided to approve the purchase but was also allowing for more bids if received by Friday July 15, 2022. So the bid will remain as is unless there is another bid received by Friday July 15 to Monday July 18, 2022 that is more competitive. Motion by Marc Lester 2nd by Kim Burchett.
5. Public Comments – None
6. Adjourned – Motion by John Osborne 2nd by Marc Lester
The LCPLKY door count for the month of June was 21,585 people. There was a total of 13,472 in attendance. Hot meals served had a total of 1,281. Bagged meals included 1,305 in the library and outreach served 186.
The next LCPLKY Board meeting will be on August 8, 2022 at the library. The public is welcome to attend the monthly meeting at the library.
UPDATES ON LC PUBLIC LIBRARY FINANCIAL REPORTS…
By Susan Salyer
On Tuesday July 12, 2022 Vice-President of the Lawrence County Library Board Susie Chambers, emailed the website for financial reports for the library to the ‘Lazer.’ Although we had trouble navigating through the ‘Library Website’ which is actually lcplky.org , there is a list of yearly financial reports starting with FY 2013 – 2014.
The Library Board of Trustee Members are required to review financial reports monthly. (Per the library website) On lcplky.org website are monthly financial reports to FY 2013- 2014 you have to contact the LCPLKY Director Carlie Pelfrey via written request for reports or for additional information, the website says.
(Note: It would be positive action on the library’s behalf to show ALL FINANCIAL REPORTS from every year since opening.)
This is the latest report signed Monday at the board meeting which shows the library has more than $2 million in funds on hand. The property taxpayers of Lawrence County contributed more than $902,000 to the library this year according to tax records provided by Sheriff Chuck Jackson.
The Library had more than $7 million in 2018 with most of it in old Inez Deposit Bank:
Judge Carter need to get this girl in line the public needs to see where the money is
Lee Balaklaw ? Back ground check anyone?
Lazer, clearly your reporter (deleted). It only takes a very few minutes to find all the library financials on the website. You should try it sometime. Seek and ye shall find dumb a**!
And not all purchases a public organization makes have to be bid. It’s evident from your “article” the projector costs fell well below the required bid amount.
How about at least trying to get a few things in this “newspaper” correct!
Exactly, Carlie is following guidelines and regulations. She gives info she has to. If the Lazer wasn’t such an a$$ she would probably cooperate better. You are doing a great job Carlie.
Jake, we were finally given instructions on how to find the financials. Thanks to Susie Chambers for letting us know. You are right, there are financials on the website back to 2013.
You have been given instructions on how to find this info for the last 2 years. Instructions are in their website and all this info is available to anyone who wants it…. Carter and his cronies also had instructions but it’s easier to claim that someone is “withholding info”….
We were never even given an agenda at the meetings. Records are very sketchy and the general public has a difficult time operating the Library website. And we still do not understand the practice of dealing with four bank accounts. But you are correct, some of the information we needed is on the website. However, the financial documents are from the Dept. Of Libraries. There has not been a library report listed on the Ky. Dept. Of Local Government since 2019. Look that up. I think you will find the fiscal court there, as well, but it is up to date.
You don’t understand using multiple banks because you lack basic intelligence. Just about any business will use more than one bank. Give up this witch hunt.
All that griping and it was there the whole time. Doesn’t make you guy look very professional .
KAG – Silly rabbit. Tricks are for kids. Phil Carter needs to worry about his own money trail. Last time I checked it’s illegal to award bids to your immediate family members and pay them hundreds of thousands in tax dollars. Hmmmm, wonder where those emergency road dollars are going??? Tick tock PC. Almost time for an audit isn’t it?
Tomahawk Judge Phil is going to be with us another 4 years better dot your i’s and cross your t’s finally some real oversight
Why is this library board so protective of financial information? Makes a town wonder…..
Jakey, if this info is so easy to find, post a link and prove yourself.
Looks like the board has been eatin’ good.
Keep up the good work Lazer!
The library board has posted all financial info for years on their website. I don’t call that being protective…. And your comment about “eating well” is so very disgusting…
And there is a reason that there was money in 2018 and it’s not there now…. Doesn’t take a ticket scientist to look at a new library and understand that.
Susie should distance herself from this bunch on the library board. Susie is a very nice person. Being a board member at the library is a career ender.
Whose career has been ended by being on the library board?
You can’t fix stupid! Why anyone would use this as a credible news source is beyond me. You can literally find financial documents, board minutes, audits, etc. on the library website. A monkey could navigate that website. If you and your reporter are so ignorant you think it’s difficult, that proves how much this “news source” is a joke. Can you find all that information readily available online for FISCAL COURT???? Nooooo because then we might see how much $ Phil Carter has paid himself and his family members. Talk about eating good!!! How good has your son in law been eating Philly? You’ve not got everyone fooled. You can kiss babies, shake hands, and wear that goofy hat and red tie but some see through the act. Nice job Lazer using the library as a distraction from the real corruption in this county. Looks like you’re in bed with them too. Hope it’s a big bed.
Another disgruntled library employee
Lol! Lazer, you know how to keep the traffic flowing on your website. Question something financial with the public library and then sit back and watch the library nuts go into a hateful frenzy. It’s also funny how all those who “hate” this website keep coming back. I love reading these comments. Keep up the GREAT work Mark!
Harry for once I agree
@JoeC
“Witch-hunt”
The Leviza Lazer doesn’t need to smear Carly’s name, she already does that enough herself LMFAO
Tell me, why in the world are you supporting someone who’s using a large majority of taxes, in one of the poorest predominantly white regions in America, for a (censored) library?
Instead of I don’t know, social safety nets to help our fellow Appalachians or maybe even fix our dogshit roads?
“-But-But-But shouldn’t everyone have a right to an education :(“While spending more money on a library could improve the quality of education in Lawrence county, uhh they downright refuse to get a bookmobile despite all the cash they have holed up. And with as big as a county as Lawrence is, many citizens are losing out on the benefits a library provides.
Also, the commercial or news section that was shown about our new library was awfully focused on how “modern” it looked. And then saying how lucky it was for Lawrence county citizens to have a building that looks like one you’d see in a big city.
I don’t think I have to spell out why that’s a bit dicey.
My grandmother is a big reader, she was born and raised here. And you know how she feels about this brand new library?
Intimidated.
And I bet a lot of our older neighbors feel the same way.
But chances are, you don’t care about any of what I said.
Probably just some rich shmuck sipping on white wine over in meadow brook while people struggle to live paycheck to paycheck. Either that or some ignorant class traitor.
Remodeling the library for the fifth time doesn’t help the citizens of Appalachia as much as other things could. Sounds like you’re the one with a lack of basic intelligence if an 18-year-old has to spell something as simple as this.
The library is raking so much tax dollars they must spend it down. If they stop spending, it will grow to millions and more millions (already in the millions) in a few years. Thats what the guy from down state is hired to do. Make a plan to spend down the excessive tax money the library is collecting. THE LIBRARY TAX RATE NEEDS TO BE LOWERED.
Lol. Young people.