By DAVID DUPONT
BG Independent News
The Wood County District Public Library Board of Trustees approved raises for its top administrators and staff when it met virtually Monday.
After an executive session to discuss personnel, the trustees emerged and passed a resolution granting Library Director Michael Penrod a salary for next year of $93,588, a 2-percent increase.
The trustees also raised the pay of Fiscal Officer Linda Joseph to $30.60 an hour, also a 2-pecent increase. Joseph said she works between 22.5 and 30 hours a week. Trustee Ken Frisch said it was “part-time pay, part-time hours and full-time work.”
Trustees praised her for getting a clean audit from the state.
Trustee John Fawcett said she excelled at the clarity with which she explained the library’s finances.
Trustee Ellen Dalton noted the pandemic with all its shifts in personnel had to be a challenge.
The trustees praised Penrod for his handling of the pandemic.
“The pandemic threw you a curveball, and you hit out of the park like Ty Cobb,” said Trustee Nathan Eikost.
Penrod said that was first time his name has been associated with sports.
Board President Brian Paskvan said that when the year started, Penrod already had a lot on his plate with a levy campaign and an administrative reorganization, and then pandemic came. But he was adept in the way he managed the situation.
“We’re very proud of you and the library and where it’s going,” Paskvan said.
Penrod said the past nine months have been “the roughest” in his 29-year library career.
The trustees also established a $24,460 pool for raises for the entire staff, that includes the pay increases given to Joseph and Penrod.
Dalton said that the staff needed to learn new ways to reach patrons, such as running book clubs over Zoom.
Frisch said he’s been impressed with the way the staff continues to offer personalized services such as pulling together book bundles for patrons. He said his grandchildren use that service, and the library staff are able to find exciting books for them to read. They took a photo of themselves with the books surrounding them like a literary Stonehenge.
The trustees also approved the annual budget for 2021.
Usually, the permanent budget is passed in March, Penrod said. But Joseph has reporting requirements to meet in February so it was best to have the permanent spending plan in place.
The budget calls for spending of $2,945,780 with revenue of $2,946,000. The spending is a decrease of 5.9 percent from this year’s budget.*
Penrod noted that the library spends 15.8 percent of its budget on purchasing new material. The American Library Association’s guidelines call for libraries to spend about 11 percent. Penrod said he believes “we can do better than that.”
The library’s foundation fundraising helps. Its No Show Novel Night, held in lieu of its annual auction, raised $103,235.
- This story originally had incorrect figures for the budget expenses and revenues.
