​Board of Trustees Bylaws
 
The Board of Trustees (hereinafter designated as the "Board") of The White Pigeon Township Library exists by the virtue of the provisions of the State of Michigan and exercises the powers and authority assuming the responsibilities delegated to the Board of Trustees by the following bylaws.
 
A.Name of Organization
The name of the organization shall be the White Pigeon Township Library (hereafter designated as “Library”)
 
B.Purpose
The purpose of the organization is to provide superior Library service to the residents, adults and children, of the White Pigeon community and surrounding contracted areas.
 
C.Fiscal
The fiscal year of the Library shall be the July 1st through June 30th.
 
D.    Board of Trustees
Pursuant to the laws of the State of Michigan, the White Pigeon Township Library Board of Trustees shall be the governing body of White Pigeon Township Library.  Its duties shall include:
 

1. establishing and maintaining a public library for White Pigeon Township and its contracted areas.
2. establishing policies by which the Library shall be administered.
3. employing a Library Director who will be administratively responsible for executing the policies of the Board and for directing all phases of the operation of the Library.
4. annually evaluating the job performance of the Library Director.
5. securing funding through levied taxes of the White Pigeon Township as allowed by law.
6. securing funding through contract of surrounding townships (currently Mottville and Florence townships) as allowed by law.
7. receiving, investing, appropriating, and approving the expenditures of all money that the Library shall be legally entitled to receive.
8. authorizing and accepting an annual audit conducted by a Certified Public Accountant.
9. participating in the formation and adoption of a strategic plan for the Library.
10. adopting an annual budget for the operation and maintenance of the Library that supports short-term goals and the goals of the strategic plan.
11. purchasing, leasing and/or erecting buildings and sites and to have control of all Library property.
12. communicating the needs of the Library to the voters of the township, and to state and national government officials.
13. authorizing the presentation of an annual report to the White Pigeon Township Board of Trustees in coordination with the Library Director and Library staff.
14. to perform such other duties as prescribed by law, including the making of reasonable rules and regulations relative to anything necessary for the proper establishment, maintenance, and governance of the Library.
15.  Membership on the Board of Trustees

The White Pigeon Township Library Board shall consist of six members, all of whom shall be elected by the voters of White Pigeon Township.
 

1. Board members are elected for a term of four years.  Newly elected members will take office after being sworn in by the White Pigeon Township Clerk.
2. Eligibility for office shall be limited to adults residing or owning property within White Pigeon Township.
3. Vacancies on the Board will be filled by appointment by the remaining members for the rest of the term of the departing member.
4. Trustees are strongly encouraged to practice good attendance to Board meetings.  Absence from three consecutive meetings without a valid explanation and without first informing the Board President, shall be cause for the Board to ask a Trustee to resign. 
5. According to the Open Meetings Act SB1108, Trustees must attend Board meetings in person, except for the following reasons:  military duty, medical condition, or a statewide or local state of emergency prohibiting in-person meetings for health and safety reasons.  Members who qualify to attend remotely may fully participate and be paid for attendance.  Members may attend remotely for other reasons such as vacation, but may only participate during the Public Comments portion of the meeting.  They may not vote and they will not be paid for meeting attendance.
6. Compensation of $50 per meeting will be given to each Trustee ($75 per meeting for the secretary or acting secretary) who has attended physically, or if allowed by law, remotely.  This applies to regularly scheduled monthly meetings, and not special meetings.  If a meeting is cancelled due to weather, lack of quorum, etc., no compensation will be given.
7. Each Trustee shall have one vote, irrespective of office held.
8. All actions of the Board shall be of the Board as a unit. No Board member shall act on behalf of the Board, on any matter, without prior approval of the Board. No Board member by virtue of his/her office, shall exercise any administrative responsibility with respect to the library nor, as an individual, command the services of any library employee.

 

1.  General Responsibilities of the Board of Trustees

In addition to the responsibilities detailed elsewhere in these bylaws, each Trustee of the Library Board shall:
 

1. abide by these bylaws and all Library policy including, but not limited to, the Library’s conflict of interest statement, code of ethics, and confidentiality requirements.
2. understand and support basic library tenets including, but not limited to, the Library Bill of Rights, Freedom to Read/View, Intellectual Freedom, and patron privacy rights.
3. assist the Board in carrying out its fiduciary responsibilities including, but not limited to, reviewing and approving the monthly financial reports, the annual budget, and the annual audit report.
4. stay informed about Board and Library matters by reviewing all distributed minutes, reports, and documentation.
5. maintain an awareness of local, state, and national legal, economic, and societal changes that may impact the Library.
6. stay current on developments and trends in the library profession through personal research, involvement in applicable professional associations and, when possible, participation in library conferences, workshops, and educational undertakings.
7. maintain strong lines of communication with municipal officials and residents to assure that the Library is meeting the needs and interests of its community.
8. regularly visit the Library and maintain appropriate lines of communication with library staff.
9. serve as an advocate for the Library helping to build a positive image of the Library through formal and informal communication opportunities with the public, businesses, civic groups, and other organizations.
10. serve on ad hoc committees and advisory boards when possible, and maintain a willingness to undertake special assignments when requested by the Board and/or President.
11. strive to build a strong working relationship with other Trustees by actively participating in Board meetings, retreats, and other professional and social opportunities for interaction and engagement.
12. abide by and publicly support all majority decisions reached by the Board of Trustees.

 
G.    Officers
The officers of the Board shall be the President, Vice-President, Secretary and Treasurer, elected bi-annually at the October meeting.  Officers will take office immediately after the election.  These officers shall serve for a period of two years or until their successors shall have been duly elected.
Upon the resignation of an officer or inability to fulfill the duties of an officer, the Library Board shall elect an officer to fill the unexpired term of that Board officer.
 
The duties of the President shall be as follows:
 

1. Prepare meeting agendas in coordination with the Library Director and/or the Assistant Library Director. Preside at all Library Board meetings ensuring adherence to the agenda and that the Library Board moves toward action on the issues.
2. Ensure that all Library Board members have the opportunity for fair participation in Library Board meetings and that all sides of an issue are fully considered.
3. Promote teamwork among Library Board members
4. Speak, deliberate, vote, or abstain from voting on any matter that comes before the Library Board.
5. Call special or emergency meetings of the Library Board.
6. Encourage the Library Board’s role in strategic planning.
7. Appoint all Library Board committees, charge them with a specific purpose, hold them accountable to this purpose, and participate as an ex-officio member as desired.
8. Sign contracts and other documents as required.
9. Communicate the Library Board’s needs and concerns with the Library Director, and the Library Director’s needs and concerns with the Library Board.
10. Present the Library Board’s annual evaluation of the Library Director’s performance to the Library Director.
11. Negotiate with the Library Director on behalf of the Library Board on all matters concerning the Library Director’s salary and benefits.
12. Represent the Library Board at all official functions and serve as the Library Board’s chief spokesperson.
13. Perform other duties as prescribed by Michigan law or by action of the Library Board.

 
 
The duties of the Vice-President shall be as follows:
 

1. Work closely with the President and accept responsibilities as delegated by the President.
2. Preside at Library Board meetings in the absence of the President.
3. Perform all duties of the President in the absence of the President, except to modify or eliminate rules or regulations made by the President.
4. Automatically become President upon resignation or death of the President, and work with the Library Board to ensure a smooth transition of leadership.
5. Perform other duties as prescribed by Michigan law or by action of the Library Board.

 
The duties of the Secretary shall be as follows:
 

1. Maintain a record of all Library Board proceedings including, but not limited to, the drafting and retention of Library Board minutes.
2. Sign all approved open session Library Board minutes and make all such minutes available for public inspection as required by law.
3. Draft minutes for all closed sessions of the Library Board and disseminate those minutes to the Library Board for approval.
4. Sign all approved closed session Library Board minutes, and seal and retain those minutes in accordance with Michigan’s Open Meetings Act (Public Act 267 of 1976).
5. Collect and shred all confidential Library Board materials.
6. Sign contracts and other documents as required.
7. Post public notices of all regular and special meetings of the Library Board in accordance with Michigan’s Open Meetings Act.
8. Call the roll for the Library Board as necessary.
9. Work with the President or Vice-President to facilitate the annual performance evaluation of the Library Director.
10. Preside over Library Board meetings in the absence of the President and Vice-President.
11. Be assisted in the above duties, as desired, by members of the Library staff as designated by the Library Director.
12. Perform other duties as prescribed by Michigan law or by action of the Library Board.

 
The duties of the Treasurer shall be as follows:
 

1. Assure the receipt, investment, disbursement, and audit of all funds which the Library Board is legally entitled to receive and expend.
2. Monitor the White Pigeon Township Library’s budget and request regular financial reports on behalf of the Library Board.
3. Ensure the development and the Library Board’s review of financial policies and procedures for the Library.
4. Sign contracts and other documents as required in the absence of the President and Secretary.
5. Be assisted in the above duties, as desired, by members of the Library staff as designated by the Library Director.
6. In the absence or inability of the Treasurer, his/her duties shall be performed by such Trustee as the Board may designate.
7. Perform other duties as prescribed by Michigan law or by action of the Library Board.

H. Quorum and Resolution Adoption

1. A quorum for the transaction of White Pigeon Township Library business shall consist of four members of the Library Board. A Board member attending a meeting electronically or by phone shall not be counted for the quorum.
2. Adoption of all resolutions and business shall require a simple majority vote of a quorum of four or more members of the Library Board in attendance.  A Board member attending a meeting electronically may participate in discussions regarding all items on the agenda, but shall be unable to vote.
3. If a quorum is not reached, no official Library business can be conducted. The Board members present may still receive information, hold discussions, and hear public comments about any agenda item.

 

1.  Parliamentary Authority and Meeting Procedures
2. The proceedings of the Library Board shall be governed by Michigan’s Open Meetings Act (Public Act 267 of 1976).  All other situations that arise during the proceedings will be resolved by generally accepted parliamentary procedures assuming such procedures are not inconsistent with these bylaws or Michigan State Statutes.
3. Meetings shall be held at 5:30 p.m. on the 4th Monday of each month.  If the 4th Monday is a holiday, the meeting will be held on the 3rd Monday.  There is no meeting in December. 
4. A special meeting of the Board may be called at any time by the President or upon the request of three members for a specific purpose. No business may be transacted at such special meeting except the stated business.
5. An affirmative vote of the majority of all members of the Board present at the time shall be necessary to approve any action before the Board.  The President may vote upon and may move or second a proposal before the Board.
6. The order of business for regular meetings shall include, but not be limited to, the following items which shall be covered in the sequence shown unless circumstances make an altered order more efficient:
   1. Call to Order
   2. Approval of Agenda
   3. Period for Public Expression
   4. Disposition of minutes of previous regular meeting and any intervening special meetings
   5. Discussion and approval of Library bills presented
   6. Treasurer's report
   7. Director's report
   8. Policy Discussion
   9. Unfinished business
   10. New business
   11. Adjournment
7. All Board meetings shall be guided by the Democratic Rules of Order.
8. Visitors who wish to speak at the meeting must state their name and address.  If those who attend wish to observe only, they can do so without identifying themselves.
9. Visitors wishing to speak must do so during the Period for Public Expression.  They will be allowed no more than five minutes to make their point.
10. As a rule, not more than 15 minutes should be designated to study topics of concern to the library (for example; long-term planning or budgeting).  If a decision isn’t made on the topic within 15 minutes, it should be tabled until the next meeting.
11.  Director

The Board shall appoint a qualified Library Director who shall be the executive officer of the policies of the Board and shall have charge of the administration of the library under the direction and review of the Board. The Director shall be responsible for the care of the buildings and equipment; for the employment and direction of the staff; for the efficiency of the library's service to the public; and for the operation of the library under the financial conditions contained in the annual budget. The Director shall render and submit to the Board reports and recommendations of such policies and procedures, which, in the opinion of the Director, will improve efficiency and quality of library service. The Director shall attend all Board meetings except the portion of the meeting at which the Director's appointment or salary is to be discussed or decided.
 
K. Trustee Statement of Ethics
The Trustees of the White Pigeon Township Library subscribe to the following Statement of Ethics:
 
1.Trustees must promote the highest level of Library service while observing ethical standards.
2.Trustees must avoid situations in which personal interest might be served or financial benefits gained at the expense of Library users, colleagues, the institution, or the situation.
3.It is incumbent upon any Trustee to disqualify himself/herself immediately whenever the appearance of a conflict of interest exists.
4.Trustees must distinguish clearly in their actions and statements between their personal philosophies and attitudes and those of the Library.
5.A Trustee must respect the confidential nature of Library business while being aware of and in compliance with the Freedom of Information Act.
6.Trustees must be prepared to support to the fullest the efforts of Librarians in resisting censorship of Library materials by groups or individuals.
 
L.Amendments
These bylaws may be amended at any meeting of the Library Board provided that the amendment was distributed at the preceding meeting or sent to each Board member in the informational packet containing the meeting’s agenda, and that the amendment was a listed action item in the posted agenda for the meeting.
All amendments to these bylaws must be approved by a simple majority vote of a quorum of four or more Library Board Trustees as set forth by these bylaws.
 
 Updated 8/25/2021