BOARD MEETING MINUTES
Wednesday May 21, 2025 Board Meeting Preston Town-County Library Approved June 25, 2025
CALL TO ORDER & ROLL CALL
The May meeting of the Preston Hot Springs Town-County Library Board was called to order at 5:02pm. Board members Peggy Winebrenner, Rube Wrightsman, Mary Finlay and Matt Pavelich(arrived late) were present. Library Director, Starla Rice, acting as secretary, was also in attendance.
MINUTES OF PREVIOUS MEETING
Minutes from the April 16, 2025 board meeting were read by the Board members.
Discussion: The director pointed out a correction to the Montana State Fund claim dated April 16, 2025 from $429.57 to $431.75. Peggy entertained a motion that the minutes from the April 16, 2025 meeting be approved. Mary moved that the minutes from the April 16, 2025 board meeting be approved. Rube seconded that motion. All trustees present approved.
BUDGET & CLAIMS
The board was presented with the budget reports for April 2025.
The following claims were submitted:
Visa $ 483.54 Books, Repair and Maintenance Supplies
Discussion: Peggy entertained a motion to approve the budget reports for April and the May claims. Rube moved that the budget reports for April and the May claims be approved. Mary seconded that motion. All trustees present approved.
DIRECTOR’S REPORT
Starla presented the May 2025 Director’s Report.
Discussion:
Public Comment: Peg Winebrenner reported from the library foundation that they had another contractor come to check out the siding job on the library building. It was brought to her attention that the siding needed to be done vertical to avoid having to do a complete tear down to repair a damaged piece, not to mention being more cost effective. Peg turned that information over to the other contractor that is considering the job for a new quote as well.
UNFINISHED BUSINESS:
1. Fiscal Year 2025/2026 Budget Update: The director spoke with the town clerk about when the town needs to have our budget. The director mentioned that it would be nice to know how much the May taxes turn out to be before finishing our budget. The town clerk said by the July town council meeting. Peg suggested that we change the June library board meeting to June 25, 2025 to allow as much time as possible to receive the May tax dollars.
NEW BUSINESS
1. Conflict of Interest waiver for Rube Wrightsman and Matt Pavelich: After reading the Town of Hot Springs Ackowledgement and Statement of Business Interests by Elected Officials and Waiver, Mary moved that no conflict of interest is apparent and that the signed form is unnecessary. Peg seconded that motion. All trustees present approved. Discussion: Rube and Matt have donated the books they have written to the library. Books written by these two authors, bought by the library for book discussion group, are purchased through Amazon or Thriftbooks. Matt Pavelich nor Rube Wrightsman own any part of Amazon or Thriftbooks. There is no apparent conflict of interest.
2. Interlocal Agreement and Bylaws discussion on Trustee Selection: A telephone conversation between the director and town clerk brought up the question as to whether the current selection of library trustees is being done according to MCA. The current selection is being done according to an Interlocal Agreement between the Town of Hot Springs and The Sanders County Commissioners, which directs the Preston Hot Springs Library Board of Trustees to select a new trustee according to the library’s ByLaws. The library has been following this process as put forth by the Interlocal Agreement, with the exception that the library posts the opening the full 90 day rather than 2 weeks 90 days before the selection.
From Interlocal Agreement page 3 under Board of Trustees #4 signed February 13, 2020 by Anthony B Cox, Glen Magera, Nichol Scribner, The Sanders County Attorney, Randal Woods, Crystal Graham, Leslie Smith, Paul Stelter, Ed Weatherly, Amy Gray and the Hot Springs Attorney
BOARD OF TRUSTEES
1. The Board of Trustees shall be composed of five (5) members. Two members shall be appointed by the Mayor, with the advice and consent of the Town Council, from candidates residing within the Town. Three members shall be appointed by the Board of County Commissioners from candidates residing within the District but outside the Town.
2. Trustees shall be appointed for five (5) year terms. Trustees may serve no more than two (2) consecutive five-year terms. Trustees may serve an unlimited number of non-consecutive five-year terms. All five-year appointments shall be made as of July 1 and expire on June 30. All five-year terms shall be staggered so that only one position is open for appointment or reappointment each year.
3. Initial appointments pursuant to this agreement shall be staggered such that one County appointee term ends June 30, 2016, one Town appointee term ends June 30, 2017, one County appointee term ends June 30, 2018, one County appointee term ends June 30, 2019, and one Town appointee term ends June 30, 2020. All appointees filling these terms shall be appointed to five (5) year terms. Trustees who have served more than five (5) years prior to the effective date of this agreement shall serve no more than one (1) consecutive five (5) year term under this agreement.
4. A vacancy on the Board occurs when a term expires or upon the resignation or removal of a Trustee. The Board shall recommend a person for appointment or reappointment by the Town or County in accordance with its Bylaws.
From The Bylaws of the Preston Hot Springs Town County Library Board of Trustees
Article II Section 2. Last revised and adopted December 2022. Signed by Trustees Nisca Warthen, Matt Pavelich, Rube Wrightsman and M’lin Kendrick December 14, 2022.
Section 2. Vacancies and Recruitment
A. A vacancy on the Board occurs when a term expires or upon resignation or removal of a Trustee.
B. When a Trustee position becomes open because the Trustee has served out his
or her terms, the Board shall advertise the open position for a minimum of two (2)
weeks at least ninety (90) days prior to the last day of the term.
C. When a mid-term vacancy occurs, an appointment shall be made for the remainder of that term. The Board may make a temporary appointment to a
vacancy until an official appointment is made by the Town or County. The board
shall advertise the open position for a minimum of two (2) weeks.
D. Applicants will be invited to submit a letter of interest either to the Library
Director or to the Board. The Board may also request a resume and/or a written
application, which shall be returned to the Library Director or the Board. The
Board of Trustees shall then study each application and interview the most
promising applicants.
3. Selection of Trustee to present for approval by the mayor: The library received 3 applications. One candidate came in and requested that the director remove her application due to some health problems. One candidate doesn’t live in city limits which is a requirement. Peg entertained a motion to approve Deborah Gage as the applicant to present for approval by the mayor. Matt moved that Deborah Gage be the applicant to present for approval by the mayor. Rube seconded that motion. All trustees present approved.
4. General Administrative Business: Spend down of Tamarack Federation funds: the director’s numbers don’t match the Expenditure Report from the town. The director will double check the numbers. Spend down of the remaining Town Pump Charitable Foundation funds. There is $184.62 left which the director will spend on more books and materials for Books in Search of Kids. Spend down of Humanities Montana funds. There is $119.14 left which the director will spend on the Amazon Audible yearly subscription which is used by the director for the book discussion group. Montana Community Foundation: the funds have been spent. The director spent the last $379.10 on a selection of the books nominated for consideration for the 2024 Montana Book Award. The director asked the board if it was okay to offer the Farmer’s Market the library parking lot for Saturday June 14, 2025. They agreed that is would be okay.
PUBLIC COMMENT: None
ADJOURN
Meeting adjourned at 6:16pm as per motion by Mary; seconded by Matt. All trustees present approved.
Respectfully submitted,
Starla Rice, Director
Approved:
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Chair Person Vice Chair Person
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Trustee Trustee
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Trustee