Board of Trustees
of the
Huntley Area Public Library District
Minutes of the Regular Meeting
May 20, 2026
Call to Order: A Regular Meeting of the Board of Trustees of the Huntley Area Public Library District was held in Program Room 3 at the Huntley Area Public Library District, 11000 Ruth Road, Huntley, IL 60142 on May 20, 2026. President Threadgill-Smith called the meeting to order at 5:30 p.m.
Pledge of Allegiance: President Threadgill-Smith led the meeting in pledge of allegiance.
Attendance:
Trustees Present: Linda Benigno, Katie Kunde, Leslie Threadgill-Smith, Jerry Reedy and Stephanie Weil
Trustees Absent: Sandy Domagalski and John Schmelzer
Library Staff Present: Elizabeth Steffensen, Acting Library Director; Lindsey Jarr, Business Manager; Sergio Ramos, Head of Maintenance; and Michelle Mattes, Friends Liaison
Visitors Present: Vito Benigno, Genevieve Hochwarter, Pat Darow, Marjorie Smith, Jerome Darow, and Shirley Nowak
Public Comments: Genevieve Hochwater (President of Friends Foundation) requested that the Library Board reconsider the recent operational changes communicated by the Acting Director or at a minimum ask that meaningful discussions take place with the Friend Foundation and changes not occur without prior communication and an opportunity for input.
Pat Darow (Friends Foundation Board Member) noted that the Friends Foundation in the past has provided Staff Appreciation Committee funding, books for summer reading, and Corner Books coupons for the adult and teen prizes for summer reading. Their meetings, programs and fundraisers draw more than 2000 people to the library annually, resulting in donations to the library over the years.
Marge Smith (Friends Foundation Board Member) requested an in-person meeting to review any changes. While the Friends recognize that organizational changes may be necessary, they would like a conversation to discuss the changes.
Vito Benigno (Friends Foundation Board Member) believes these changes represent a substantial shift in the relationship between the library and the Friends Foundation. These concerns are shared in good faith with expectation of resolution and improved collaboration. He asked for Library Board to meet with the Friends’ Board of Directors to work collaboratively to define a clear, mutually agreed upon framework for the ongoing relationship.
Secretary’s Report: No Questions
Benigno motioned; Kunde seconded that the Board approve the following Meeting Minutes:
- Policy and Personnel Committee Meeting, April 15, 2026
- Regular Board Meeting, April 15, 2026
- Budget and Finance Committee, April 15, 2026
- Special Board Meeting, April 21, 2026
- Policy and Personnel Committee Meeting, May 5,2026
Roll call votes were: Benigno-Aye; Kunde-Aye; Threadgill-Smith-Aye; Weil-Aye; Reedy-Aye, All Ayes. No Nays. Motion carried.
Financial Reports and Checks: Weil motioned; Reedy seconded that the Board approve the checks and financial report for April 15, 2026, as presented. Roll call votes were: Benigno-Aye; Kunde-Aye; Threadgill-Smith-Aye; Weil-Aye; Reedy-Aye, All Ayes. No Nays. Motion carried.
Monthly Income/Expense Report (Discussion):Trustees reviewed the Income/Expense Report-April 2026 and there were no questions.
Library Director’s Report: Presented by Acting Director Steffensen. Steffensen reported that the Auditor Paul Inserramet with herself and Lindsey Jarr, the Business manager, to discuss requirements for the upcoming audit. Presented the Name tag options to the Board for the Library board to vote on. At the June Regular board meeting photos will be taken of the Library Board of Trustees to update the Huntley Area Public Library website. We were notified by our health insurance provider to anticipate a 15% price increase in the next fiscal year.
Committee Reports:
Policy: Committee Discussed language of the Emergency Closing Policy, and Overtime, Extra Time Policy. There were questions submitted to legal counsel for language clarification.
Finance: Will meet on June 1st, 2026, to discuss the budget for the FY26-27 fiscal year. Plan to revisit the Investment Plan Policy and Special Reserve Policy with the new Director.
Facilities: There was no report.
Friends’ Liaison: Presented by Mattes. 85 people attended the Friend’s Foundation fundraiser. Plans for the June book sale and July mini links are in progress. There were a total of 100 hours volunteered, and 20 people attended the last Friend’s Foundation Meeting.
Directors Search:Shared there has been interest in the Director’s job posting. Deiters and Todd are starting the preliminary phone interviews. Search is currently on schedule for the first round of interviews to be in early June. The plan for the week of June 8th to the 12th is to be available fortwo nights for the Board to start the initial round of semifinalist interviews for Director candidates.
New Business: The Board discussed the staff wage increase for FY26-27. They weighed the pros and cons of the different wage increase options. With a new Director coming on, the Board thought best to give a flat wage increase and rely on the leadership team to hold employees accountable for their performance.
Kunde motioned; Reedy seconded to approve a 4 % flat wage increase for all eligible library employees. Roll call votes were; Benigno-Aye; Kunde-Aye; Threadgill-Smith-Aye; Weil-Aye; Reedy-Aye, All Ayes. No Nays. Motion carried.
The upcoming three-year contract renewal of the seasonal landscape package was presented by Sergio Ramos.
Benigno motioned; Weil seconded to approve the contract renewal of the
Senola seasonal landscape package for 1st of 3-year contract for $23,520 with a 3 percent annual increase. Roll call votes were: Benigno-Aye; Kunde-Aye; Threadgill-Smith-Aye; Weil-Aye; Reedy-Aye, All Ayes. No Nays. Motion carried.
Weil motioned; Benigno seconded to approve the renewal for the Senola snowplow and salt seasonal package at $23,850 with a 3 percent annual increase for 3 years. Roll call votes were: Benigno-Aye; Kunde-Aye; Threadgill-Smith-Aye; Weil-Aye; Reedy-Aye, All Ayes. No Nays. Motion carried.
The Board listened to a report from Sergio Ramos on the upcoming carpet project for the main entrance and lobby in front of the public restrooms. The area of the hall leading to the Children’s Library will also be updated. The carpeting is already on order.
The Board requested Sergio create a facilities report with 3-to-5-year projections of upcoming projects to help plan the budget.
The Board was presented with ATA auditors’ suggestion that $76,735 be transferred from Zions Bank to the FNBO operating fund to replace funds for capital improvements that were paid out of the Operating Fund.
Weil motioned; Beningo seconded to transfer $76,735 from Zions Bank to FNBO Operating Fund. Roll call votes were: Benigno-Aye; Kunde-Aye; Threadgill-Smith-Aye; Weil-Aye; Reedy-Aye, All Ayes. No Nays. Motion carried.
Old Business:
The Board resumed the conversation of blanket waiver which had been discussed with legal counsel who strongly discouraged the use of a blanket waiver by the library. Waivers should be supplied on individual occasions that warrant a waiver by the participants.
Counsel also advised based on a review of job descriptions that Sergio Ramos, Head of Maintenance, and Lindsey Jarr, Business Manager, are correctly classified as Non-Exempt Employees. The Board will continue to review the Compensatory Time Policy during the next Policy and Personnel Committee meeting June 17th at 5 p.m.
President Threadgill-Smith discussed Committee assignments with Trustees and asked if any wanted to change their committee assignments. No one expressed a desire to change. All Board members will remain in their current committees listed below:
- Policy-Domagalski (chair), Benigno, Schmelzer, Threadgill-Smith (ex officio)
- Finance-Kunde (chair), Domagalski, Weil, Threadgill-Smith (ex officio)
- Facilities-Weil (chair), Kunde, Reedy, Threadgill-Smith (ex officio)
- Director Search-Threadgill-Smith (chair), Domagalski, Benigno, Weil
The Director Search Committee will dissolve when a new Director is in place and established.
Steffensen to present a draft budget on June 1st, 2026, at the Budget and Finance Committee Meeting. The Board will vote on the budget at the Regular Board Meeting on June 17th, 2026.
Board Discussion:
Linda Benigno opened the discussion on changes in library relations with the Friends Foundation.
Steffensen alerted the Board that several changes brought up by the Friends Foundation were made by the prior Director and former business manager. They had made the decision to bring on a part-time employee as a dedicated Friends Liaison for the Friends Foundation and transfer responsibilities to that individual as well as relocate the Friends Foundation space from the programming area to the Friends office in the Friends work room.
The part-time Friends Liaison position was created at the request of the Friends Foundation Board. For the June book sale Sergio offered to share mover contact information with the Friends Foundation as using library staff for the moving of materials for book sales or other programming done by the Friends Foundation is no longer going to be done.
Adjournment: Kunde motioned; Reedy seconded that the Board adjourn the Regular Board Meeting.
All Ayes. No Nays. Motion Carried.
The Regular Board Meeting adjourned at 8 p.m.
