Warren-Newport Public Library District Lake County, Illinois Board of Trustees Policy 1001 Bylaws of the Warren-Newport Public Library District Lake County, Illinois Adopted: November 10, 1981 Reviewed/Revised: October 13, 1987; June 15, 1999; June 11, 2002; March 11, 2003; June 14, 2005; November 8, 2005; November 14, 2006; July 17, 2007; July 21, 2009; February 15, 2011; March 15, 2011; August 23, 2011; December 19, 2011; April 17, 2012; May 15, 2012; August 21, 2012; September 17, 2013; June 17, 2014; April 21, 2015; July 21, 2015; February 16, 2016; April 19, 2016; November 15, 2016; June 20, 2017; October 17, 2017; February 20, 2018; May 19, 2020; September 20, 2022; December 13, 2022 ARTICLE 1. ESTABLISHMENT The Warren-Newport Public Library District (WNPLD) is established and conducted as a Library District in accordance with the Illinois Public Library District Act of 1991 (formerly Illinois Library Code, Illinois Revised Statutes, Chapter 81 [repealed]) for the use and benefit of the inhabitants of the area described in Annex A to the Order of the Circuit Court for the Nineteenth Judicial Circuit, Lake County, Illinois, Case No. 73 MC 5. These rules are supplementary to the provisions of the statutes of the State of Illinois as they relate to the procedures of Boards of Library Trustees, including but not limited to 75 ILCS 16/1 et seq. ARTICLE 2. BOARD OF LIBRARY TRUSTEES Section 2.01 Responsibility The Board of Library Trustees of WNPLD is charged with the responsibility of the governance of the Library. The Board shall hire a skilled Executive Director who will be responsible for the day-to- day operations of the Library. The Board shall strive to meet at least once per month. These meetings will be open to the public, noticed in advance, and run in compliance with the Open Meetings Act (OMA). Section 2.02 Powers The Board shall have such powers as are set forth in the Public Library District Act of 1991 and other relevant statutes. In carrying out its duties, the Board shall always act as a whole, no individual member or committee having power to act unless such power is specifically granted by the Board. Further clarification of Board powers can be found in Policy 1025 Authority of Library Trustees. Section 2.03 Constitution of Board Seven (7) trustees shall constitute the WNPLD Board of Trustees.  Section 2.04 Election and Terms of Trustees Every two (2) years at the regular election scheduled for trustees of public library districts under the Election Code, Trustees shall be elected for four-year (4-year) terms. The Trustees’ terms shall be staggered to provide some level of Board continuity and knowledge transfer. At each election of Trustees after the first election, the Trustees elected to succeed those whose terms have expired shall hold office for a full term of four (4) years or an unexpired term of two (2) years from the third Monday of the month next following the election and until their respective successors are elected and qualified. Section 2.05 Organization of Board Within seventy-four (74) days after their election, the new Trustees shall take their oath of office as prescribed by law and shall meet with the incumbent Trustees to organize the Board. The first action taken at the meeting shall be the election of a President, a Vice President, a Secretary, and a Treasurer from among the Trustees. The Secretary shall then record the membership of the Board. Details on the agenda for the organizational meeting can be found in Section 3.09. Section 2.06 Compensation and Reimbursement Pursuant to statute, Board members are not compensated but may be reimbursed for necessary and related expenses as Trustees. [75 ILCS 16/30-30] A Trustee who requests reimbursement for library-related expenses should complete a Library Expense Voucher and submit it to the Executive Director or their designee. Reimbursement checks will be available to the Trustee between fourteen (14) and twenty-one (21) days after the submission of the correctly completed voucher. Pursuant the to the requirements of the Local Government Travel Expense Control Act, the Board regulates the reimbursement of travel, meals, and lodging expenses incurred by Trustees. All such reimbursement shall be approved by a roll call vote. Entertainment expenses are not reimbursable unless they are ancillary to the purpose of the program or event. [50 ILCS 150/1] A Trustee who requests reimbursement for travel expenses should complete a Reimbursement Request Form and submit it to the Executive Director or their designee. Reimbursement checks will be available to the Trustee between fourteen (14) and twenty-one (21) days after Board approval. Section 2.07 Statement of Economic Interests All Trustees [5 ILCS 420/4A] and all citizen members of Advisory Groups are required by statute to file the “Statement of Economic Interests” with the Lake County Clerk on an annual basis. Section 2.08 Education To be effective, Board members should attend all Regular Meetings, all meetings of Committee of the Whole, and all special meetings. They should read all materials presented for review, and attend an occasional library-related workshop, seminar, or meeting. The Executive Director will make the subjects, dates, and locations of these workshops known to the Board in a timely manner. One goal of the Board of Trustees is that each member attend a minimum of one (1) library-related workshop, seminar, webinar, or meeting during each calendar year. Section 2.09 Vacancies Whenever a vacancy on the Board of Trustees exists, the Board shall appoint a new Trustee within ninety (90) days after the vacancy has been declared. [75 ILCS 16/30-25 (b)] The Secretary shall notify the Lake County Clerk and the Illinois State Librarian of any vacancy on the Board within 60 days after the vacancy occurs; when a vacancy is filled, the Secretary shall notify the  Lake County Clerk and the Illinois State Librarian of the name and address of the new Trustee within 60 days of the new Trustee’s appointment. [75 ILCS 16/30-40 (d)] Section 2.10 New Trustees and Trustee Orientation The Executive Director shall meet with new Trustees to tour the WNPLD property and review Library services. Upon joining the Board, new Trustees are also invited to attend an All-Staff Meeting to meet staff and to learn what is typically accomplished during such a meeting. The Board of Trustees and the Executive Director organize and maintain resources for Trustee Orientation. These materials educate new Trustees on the duties and responsibilities of Board members and provide documents that are central to the Board’s work. Information on today’s libraries and trends in library service is also included. New Trustees receive copies of Board and Staff Policy Manuals, Board business cards, and a Board name tag. ARTICLE 3. MEETINGS Section 3.01 Regular Meetings Regular Meetings of the Board of Library Trustees of the Warren-Newport Public Library District shall be at the Library at 7:00 p.m. on the third Tuesday of each month. The meetings shall be open to the public and noticed in advance. Prior to the beginning of each fiscal year, the Board shall, by ordinance, specify Regular Meeting dates and times. [75 ILCS 16/30-50 (a)] The Recording Secretary of the Board shall then, 1) provide for the local newspapers the schedule of Regular Meetings of the Board for the ensuing fiscal year, and 2) post the schedule of meetings in the Library and on the WNPLD website. All notices shall have the dates, times, and places of such meetings. Section 3.02 Committee of the Whole The Committee of the Whole meeting of the Board of Library Trustees of the Warren-Newport Public Library District shall usually be at the Library at 7:00 p.m. on the first Tuesday of each month. The meetings shall be open to the public and noticed in advance. Section 3.03 Special Meetings The President, the Secretary, or any four (4) Trustees of the Board may call a special meeting of the Board. [75 ILCS 16/30-50(a)] Unless a special meeting is urgent, it shall be held at a time that is mutually agreed upon by the Board. Except in the case of a bona fide emergency, notice and agenda shall be posted and sent to any news medium which has filed an annual request for notice under the Open Meetings Act at least forty-eight (48) hours in advance of the meeting. [5 ILCS 120 et seq.] Special Meetings shall also be posted on the WNPLD website. Section 3.04 Advisory Group Meetings Advisory Group meetings shall be held at the convenience of its members at times that do not conflict with any Regular Board meetings or Committee of the Whole meetings. Section 3.05 Annual Report Each August, the Executive Director shall provide the Board with a copy of the Illinois Public Library Annual Report (IPLAR), an annual report that includes a summary of the year’s work with a detailed account of the receipts and expenditures, a budget for the following year, and an audit of the Secretary’s records, as well as other information required by statute. [75 ILCS 16/30-65] A copy of this report shall be on file in the Library, and a copy shall be forwarded to the Illinois State Library in accordance with the law.  Section 3.06 Quorum A quorum for the transaction of business at any meeting shall consist of four (4) Trustees. A majority of those present shall determine the vote taken on any question, unless a larger majority is specified by State statute. [75 ILCS 16/30-50 (b)] A meeting shall be automatically cancelled if no quorum is present by 30 minutes after the posted time scheduled for a meeting to start. Section 3.07 Voting at Regular and Special Meetings All votes on any question shall be by ayes and nays and shall be recorded by the Secretary. Absences and abstentions shall be noted but shall not be counted for or against the question being voted upon. [75 ILCS 16/30-50 (c)] All votes on any question regarding money matters, ordinances, or as otherwise required by law shall be by roll call vote. On other questions, any one (1) Trustee may call for a roll call vote. On any roll call vote, the Minutes shall list the names of all those voting in the affirmative, those voting in the negative, and those abstaining. No vote in open session will be by secret ballot. The President may make a motion, second a motion, and vote upon any proposal before the Board. The President shall be called last in any roll call vote. The President shall not have or exercise veto powers. [75 ILCS 16/30-45 (b)] Section 3.08 Agenda and Order of Business The Board President and Executive Director shall propose the agenda for each meeting, using input from other Trustees. Regular Board Meeting agendas typically include all or most of the items listed below. The Board of Trustees welcomes members of the public to attend meetings and to offer their input on Library matters. Therefore, Regular Board Meeting agendas include Public Comment early in the agenda and Public Forum late in the agenda. The Order of Business for the remaining agenda items is subject to change at the discretion of the Board. Call to order Roll call, recording both present and absent members Pledge of Allegiance Reading of Mission Statement Public comment, correspondence, and communications Consent agenda, consisting of any of the items below President’s report Secretary’s report, approval of minutes as received or corrected Reports of other Trustees Financial report and approval of bills payable Executive Director’s report Committee of the Whole and Advisory Group report(s) Quarterly progress report on the strategic plan Unfinished business New business Other Public forum Announcements Adjournment Section 3.09 Biennial Reorganizational Meeting Agenda The agenda for May meetings in odd-numbered years shall be set to facilitate the reorganization of the Board following an election. The agenda for the first part of the meeting shall be set as above by the outgoing Board President and the Executive Director and shall include swearing in  of the recently elected Trustees. Approval of a motion to adjourn sine die dissolves the Board. The second part of the meeting shall begin with the seating of new Trustees and the election of a President pro tempore. The President pro tempore shall preside over the election of a Secretary pro tempore and shall call the meeting to order, direct a roll call, and determine the presence of a quorum. The President pro tempore shall then preside over the election of a President or slate of officers. If not elected as part of slate, the new President shall preside over the election of the remaining officers. The remainder of the reorganizational agenda shall include the appointment of Committee of the Whole Chairpersons, the approval of the Board roster for filing, and resolutions for Trustees who are leaving the Board, as well as any other matters of Unfinished Business and New Business before the Board. Section 3.10 Materials Presented at Meetings Whenever a Trustee makes a presentation to the Board that includes a handout, correspondence, slide deck (e.g. PowerPoint), audio and/or video recording, and/or other presentation aid, the Trustee shall provide the Secretary with an electronic or paper copy of the presentation prior to the presentation to the Board. The Secretary shall give these materials to the Recording Secretary to file in the Board Archives. Section 3.11 Parliamentary Procedure The most recent edition of Robert’s Rules of Order shall generally guide the parliamentary procedure of the Board, unless otherwise specified in the Bylaws. Section 3.12 Suspension of Rules Any rule or resolution of the Board, whether contained in these Bylaws or otherwise, may be suspended temporarily in connection with business at hand, but such suspension, to be valid, may be taken only at a meeting at which two-thirds (⅔) of the members of the Board (5 or more) are present and two-thirds (⅔) of those present (4 or more) approve such suspension. Statutory requirements may not be suspended. ARTICLE 4. OFFICERS AND DUTIES Section 4.01 Officers The officers of the Board of Library Trustees shall be a President, a Vice President, a Treasurer, and a Secretary. A different Trustee shall hold each office. The Executive Director may serve as Assistant Treasurer and Assistant Secretary. Officers shall serve for terms set by ordinance but not to exceed two (2) years, ending on the third Monday of the month following each regular election or until their successors are duly elected by the Board. Officers shall have such obligations and duties as are set forth by statute. [75 ILCS 16/30-45] If the Vice President, Treasurer, or Secretary is absent or temporarily unable to fulfill their duties, the Board may vote to appoint a Vice President pro tempore, Treasurer pro tempore, or Secretary pro tempore. In extreme circumstances such as a pandemic or other disaster, the Board may pass a resolution to delegate authority to the President or President pro tempore to make decisions deemed in the best interest of WNPLD in collaboration with the Executive Director and available Trustees. If an officer fails to fulfill their duties as set forth for a period of three (3) consecutive months, the Board may vote to remove that officer from their position. The Board shall promptly fill a vacancy in any of the four (4) offices for the unexpired term. Section 4.02 President The President shall preside over all meetings. The President shall appoint Chairpersons for Policy and Bylaws and Buildings and Grounds and may also appoint Special Committees and their  Chairpersons, including committees to audit the Treasurer's and Secretary's books, as may be necessary to carry out the Board’s work. The President shall be the Chairperson of Personnel and may be an ex-officio voting member of any Special Committee or Advisory Group. They shall execute all documents authorized by the Board and may call Special Meetings of the Board, following the guidelines in Section 3.03. The President shall perform all other duties as may be assigned by the Board. Section 4.03 Vice President In the absence of the President, the Vice President, as the temporary Chairperson elected by the Board, shall preside. The Vice President and the Secretary shall periodically review the closed minutes and recordings of executive sessions, following the guidelines of Policy 1045 Minutes and Recordings of Executive Sessions. The Vice President shall perform all other duties as may be assigned by the Board. Section 4.04 Treasurer The Treasurer shall be the Chairperson of Finance and shall oversee the keeping and maintaining of accounts and records of WNPLD, indicating a record of receipts, disbursements, and balances in all funds. [75 ILCS 16/30-45 (d)] The Treasurer shall, at every Board meeting, present an account of the status of the treasury at the date of such accounting and the balance of money in the treasury. They shall be responsible for obtaining the annual financial audit as required by statute. The Treasurer shall be bonded in the amount to be approved by the Board and according to the requirements of statute. The Treasurer is authorized to pay salaries and insurance bills as they come due. The Treasurer is responsible for the investment of Library funds pursuant to the Public Funds Investment Act [30 ILCS 235]. The Treasurer shall perform all other duties as may be assigned by the Board. Section 4.05 Secretary The Secretary shall keep and maintain appropriate records for their term in office and shall include therein a record of the minutes of all meetings, the names of those in attendance, the ordinances and regulations adopted, and all other pertinent written material affecting the operation of the District. [75 ILCS 16/30-45 (g)] The Secretary shall take minutes and make recordings of all executive sessions of the Board of Trustees in accordance with Policy 1045 Minutes and Recordings of Executive Sessions. The Secretary’s records shall be audited by two (2) other Trustees appointed by the President. Audits shall be conducted once each fiscal year for the filing of the IPLAR report described in Section 3.05 and upon the change of secretaries. [75 ILCS 16/30- 65] Under the following circumstances, the Secretary shall file a statement listing the names and addresses of the Trustees and Officers and their respective terms in office with the County Clerk and the Illinois State Librarian: • within sixty (60) days after the reorganization of the Board; • within sixty (60) days after the occurrence of a vacancy on the Board; and • within sixty (60) days after filling a vacancy on the Board. [75 ILCS 16/30-40 (d)]. The Secretary shall have the power to administer oaths and affirmations for the purposes of the Illinois Public Library District Act of 1991. The Secretary shall affix the WNPLD corporate seal to all documents such as ordinances that are required by law to be duly authorized for execution. The Secretary shall be responsible for publishing the annual financial statement and for publishing and posting notices of elections, budgets, and tax levies, all as required by law. The Secretary shall perform all other duties as may be assigned by the Board.  ARTICLE 5. BANKING PROCEDURES The Treasurer or designee shall deposit all the moneys belonging to WNPLD in the name of WNPLD in such banks, trust companies, or other depositories as shall be designated by the Board of Trustees. Any two officers, or the Executive Director and any one officer, are authorized to sign checks for WNPLD. ARTICLE 6. COMMITTEE WORK Section 6.01 Approaches to Committee Work The Board has used both Standing Committees and Committee of the Whole to accomplish its committee work. Though the Board currently uses Committee of the Whole, that method can be changed at any time by a majority vote of the Board. For purposes of Board policy, the term “committee” is used to mean committee work accomplished by any method. Ongoing committee work focuses on, but is not limited to the following areas: Finance, Buildings and Grounds, Policy and Bylaws, and Personnel. Section 6.02 Committee of the Whole Committee of the Whole shall be used to allow for the entire Board to share information, participate in informal discussion, come to common understanding, reach consensus, and develop recommendations for action at Regular Board meetings. Every Trustee is a member of the Committee of the Whole, as is the Executive Director. Committee of the Whole shall be used as a deliberative body. Voting shall be used to determine consensus on how to proceed with matters discussed, i.e. to place an issue on a Regular Meeting agenda for a final Board decision; to further investigate an issue; or to drop an issue from further consideration. Section 6.03 Chairpersons for Committee Work The President shall serve as the Chairperson of Personnel and for any topics that fall outside the above areas. The Treasurer shall serve as the Chairperson of Finance. In May or June of each odd-numbered year, the President shall appoint Chairpersons for Policy and Bylaws and Buildings and Grounds. The Chairperson of each area is responsible for scheduling agenda items, presiding over those agenda items during Committee of the Whole, and submitting a committee report covering those agenda items. All Committee of the Whole Chairperson appointments last until the next reorganization of the board in May of the next odd-numbered year or until a Chairperson resigns. If a Chairperson fails to fulfill their duties as set forth for a period of three (3) consecutive months, the President can appoint another Trustee to fulfill the responsibility of that Chairperson. Section 6.04 Topics for Committee of the Whole Most Committee of the Whole topics fall into the following areas: Finance, Buildings and Grounds, Policy and Bylaws, and Personnel. Topics outside these areas may also be placed on the Committee of the Whole agenda. Topics can be suggested for the Committee of the Whole agenda by Chairpersons or by individual Trustees. Finance topics include, but are not limited to, drafting a Budget and Appropriations Ordinance for the approval of the full Board, drafting a Levy for the approval of the full Board, drafting a working  budget for the approval of the full Board, monitoring the investments of the Library, implementing the Library’s investment policy, and fundraising. Buildings and Grounds topics include, but are not limited to, planning for and monitoring the continual development of the entire site or sites, conducting an annual inspection of the Library's physical facilities to identify areas that are in need of repair, and recommending any and all necessary repairs. Policy and Bylaws topics include, but are not limited to, developing and modifying WNPLD Policy. Policies must address the division of responsibility between the Board, the Executive Director, and staff, determine the regulations governing the use of the Library, and include a Library Materials Selection Policy. [75 ILCS 16/30-60] Policies shall be systematically reviewed at an interval not to exceed four (4) years. Policy work will also include the development of Bylaws by which the WNPLD Board governs itself in compliance with the statutes of the State of Illinois. Bylaws are reviewed as needed and proposed amendments will be voted upon by the Board at a Regular Meeting. The Board’s most important Personnel responsibility is to annually evaluate the Executive Director. In this process, the Executive Director prepares a self-evaluation, and Trustees provide feedback on job performance and accomplishment of goals. Using these as a foundation, the Board President writes a formal evaluation to summarize achievements and opportunities for improvement and to document the Board’s endorsement of the Executive Director’s goals and objectives for the coming year. Other Personnel topics include, but are not limited to: 1) reviewing and recommending changes to personnel policies at an interval not to exceed six (6) years, and 2) assuming a leadership role in the resolution of any personnel conflict which cannot be resolved by the Executive Director in accordance with the personnel policies. Personnel work also includes the coordination of a search for a new Executive Director when the position becomes vacant. Section 6.05 Committee of the Whole Reports Committee of the Whole Reports are written by each Chairperson and submitted for inclusion on the agenda of the next Regular Board meeting. The Library shall be the depository of all Committee of the Whole reports. Section 6.06 Special Committees Special Committees may be appointed by the President to present reports or recommendations to the Board. Special Committees shall serve until the completion of the work for which they were appointed. Section 6.07 Advisory Groups The Board may form an Advisory Group to help it carry out a specific initiative or to draw upon outside expertise to accomplish a goal. Further explanation of this can be found in Policy 1057 Advisory Groups. Section 6.08 OMA Compliance All committee meetings shall be held in compliance with the Illinois Open Meetings Act. [5 ILCS 120]  ARTICLE 7. DUTIES OF TRUSTEES AND DUTIES OF THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR In carrying out its duties as set forth in the Public Library District Act of 1991, the Board acknowledges the important distinctions between the duties of Trustees and those of the Executive Director. These are fully described Policy 1030 Board and Executive Director Responsibilities. ARTICLE 8. WNPLD RECORDS Section 8.01 Administrative Records Administrative records of WNPLD shall be kept in the Library. The monthly and annual reports of WNPLD, all financial reports, minutes of Board meetings, and committee reports shall be posted on the WNPLD website in an easily searchable and accessible form. Physical copies of these records shall be made available to the general public as per Board Policy 4030 Illinois Freedom of Information Act. Section 8.02 Staff Personnel Records Staff personnel records are confidential and shall be kept in a secure place. Only the Executive Director or their designee shall have access to these records. The Board’s involvement in personnel conflict resolution described in Section 6.04 may necessitate the release of personnel records pertinent to the decision. This is the only circumstance under which personnel records of an WNPLD employee other than the Executive Director are made available to Trustees. Section 8.03 Board Archives and Ordinances The Board Archives are stored and maintained in the WNPLD Administration Office, as are certified copies of all ordinances. Ordinances shall contain an effective date no later than sixty (60) days after the date of enactment. Every ordinance shall be numbered serially by each fiscal year in which they are enacted and identified by such date of enactment and serial number, i.e. Ordinance 2019/2020-1. Each ordinance shall be posted or published in accordance with the law. Copies of ordinances are made available for public inspection. [75 ILCS 16/1-40] Ordinances are also posted on the WNPL website. Section 8.04 Confidential Records of the Board of Trustees Confidential records of the WNPLD Board of Trustees, such as personnel records concerning the Executive Director, shall be kept in the locked Board cabinet in the McCullough Board Room. Only members of the Board shall have access to these records. ARTICLE 9. AMENDMENTS Section 9.01 Amendments to the Bylaws Any Trustee may propose an amendment to these Bylaws at any Regular Meeting of the Board. The proposed amendment may be discussed at Committee of the Whole and subsequently brought to a Regular Meeting of the Board for a final vote. Amendments to these Bylaws will become effective if and as adopted by a majority (4 or more) of all members of the Board.  Section 9.02 Amendments to WNPLD Policy, Other Policies, and Procedural Documents Amendments to WNPLD Policy or to any other policy or procedural document may be proposed at any Regular Meeting of the Board and will become effective if and as adopted by a majority of those members present. _________________________________________